I took the judges around with Martin Robinson taking photographs.

One of the judges, Mark, said he was choked when St Michaels First school sang their school song, I must admit I was too, it was very moving. The children with their teacher Julie Smith took us around their garden and each child talked about what the school was doing with the grounds.

When we got to Stonefield park the judges said " thus far you have the best display of hanging baskets we've seen". 

The rain poured and everywhere looked clean and shining, also the flowers looked so fresh and colourful.

The judges loved The Den's community project in Abbey Street, especially when the kids explained all about funding, donations and the fact that The Priory residents had also been involved. 

The judges Mark and Roger then walked on down to the bottom of Abbey Street and when they saw March Hare House they called it The Beautiful Hanging Garden's of Babylon.

The Moorings residents had worked hard and the judges recognised all their hard work by congratulating them on a fantastic effort. 

Stone looked at its best and I was proud to show the judges around. 

Martin Robinson took them over the common Plott and they were very impressed with the new barn facility.

Bill Whaller the bio-diversity officer from Stafford Borough Council gave a talk to the judges on The Crown Meadow and said that the 3000 marsh plants and wild flowers were growing extremely well and he expected some rare nesting ground birds in the future.

Phil Gooding Chairman at the Canoe club had some young paddlers on the river and said he expected a few Olympic entrants to go forward from Stone. He went on to explain about funding and the new build club that work was soon to be started on a new club house.

We began at the Little Stoke Cricket Club and the president Rod Tobias welcomed the Heart of England Judges to stone and then Bob Masnam who was responsible for the new pavilion took over and talked about funding and that the whole ground and club was run by volunteers. They play 120 games of cricket a year.

I hope this gives you some idea of how the day went and we couldn't have done it without our driver Geoff Collier who drove the bus, kindly loaned to us by Trinity skills For Life.