Community Achievements Celebrated

Ferryhill Presentation Evening Celebrates Community Achievements

Following the judging of gardens and allotments in this years Ferryhill in Bloom Competition, Annual Art, Photography & Poetry Exhibition, Civic Awards and to acknowledge the hard work of Ferryhill’s retiring Councillors, a Presentation Evening was held at The Masonic Hall in Ferryhill on Thursday, 24^th September 2026.

Approximately 75 people attended the event, which saw Mayor, Councillor Curtis Bihari present awards, certificates and prizes to the winners, in what proved to be a vey successful evening, with residents, Councillors and Town Council staff coming together to celebrate different aspects of Ferryhill’s community.

At the end of the evening a special award was presented by the Mayor, to Michael Moody, in recognition of 29 years’ dedicated service to community Policing in Ferryhill. Unfortunately, Michael was unable to attend the event, so his colleagues, Craig McGuire and Peter Newman attended on his behalf to collect the award.

A Raffle took place throughout the evening, which in total raised £103.  Monies raised will go towards the Mayor’s Charity: Bright Futures Ferryhill CIC.

Ferryhill Town Council, who organised the event, would like to say a huge thank you to Windlestone Nurseries for sponsoring this year’s Ferryhill in Bloom Competition, providing gift vouchers for the winners, and to Viv and her team at the Masonic Hall, for providing an excellent venue for the event, with a delicious buffet.

Winners of the competitions and retiring Councillors being presented were as follows:

Art, Photography & Poetry Exhibition

Winner of Best Artwork – Olwen Fennessy for ‘Saltholme’

Best Children’s Artwork – Mia Tomkinson for ‘Fun Day Out at the Beach’

Winner of Best Photograph – John Craig Humble for ‘Turn it to the Left’

Winner of Best Poetry – Jane Pennick for ‘The Storm’

Ferryhill in Bloom Competition

Front Garden Category

Commended – Mick Mundell

Commended – Jean Hardy

Highly Commended – Paul Slater

3^rd Place – Joanna Baxter

2^nd Place – Gordon Harris

1^st Place – Jeff Talbott

Back Garden Category 

Commended – Jean Hardy

Commended – Paul Slater

Commended – Karen Dowling

Highly Commended – Mick Mundell

Highly Commended – Kay Slater

3^rd Place – Gordon Harris

2^nd Place – Susan Osment

1^st Place – Vivien Auton

Back Yard Category

2^nd Place – Danuta Rykowska

1^st Place – Joanna Orlowska

Commercial Premises Category 

1^st Place – The Garth

Allotment Competition

Best Allotment Plot on Each Allotment Site

East End Allotments – George Chaytor

Paxton Street Allotments – David Salisbury

Storehouse Allotments – Mr & Mrs Reseigh

Mainsforth Row Allotments – Mr & Mrs Bullock

Best Overall Allotment Plot Across All Sites – George Chaytor

Best Overall Allotment Site – East End Allotments

Civic Awards

Stephen Marshall For Services to the Community

Jennifer Scriver For Services to the Community

Jean Flook In Recognition of an Outstanding Contribution to the Ferryhill Remembers Poppy Net

Daniel Dunnett For Services to Grassroots Football

Richard O’Neill In Recognition of Services to Mainsforth Amateur Boxing & Fitness Club

Andy Denholm For Charitable Fundraising and In Recognition of Ongoing Commitment to Supporting Ferryhill’s War Heroes

Joanna Baxter In Recognition of 50 Years Service to Library Provision in Ferryhill

Retiring Councillors

Angus Ferguson

Honorary Burgess Award for a Councillor Serving their community for 18 years including Two Terms as Mayor

Peter Atkinson

Mayor’s Special Award

Michael Moody in recognition of 29 years’ dedicated service to community Policing in Ferryhill.