Following on from a competition in France with prizes for towns with the best floral displays, the British Tourist Authority set up a British version and in 1964 Britain in Bloom was born. At the time, Olive Clarke was working in London on the National Federation of Women’s Institute Committee and was asked to be a founder member of Britain in Bloom and a judge in the south of England and nationally in towns and villages. She was a true friend to Cumbria in Bloom from the start and became a Cumbria in Bloom Patron.
On her 100th birthday in May 2022, Cumbria in Bloom presented Olive with a personalised card and the gift of a planter filled with perennials.
Liz Auld, Administrator, Cumbria in Bloom, says:
“With the death of Olive Clarke, Cumbria in Bloom has lost not only one of its Patrons, but also its greatest champion and cheerleader. Olive was a fierce supporter of Cumbria in Bloom, attending Award Ceremonies and Annual General Meetings in her capacity as Patron.
“She spoke with passion and was very loyal to all those entrusted with running the charity. She regularly kept in touch with our President, Chairman and Administrator, usually by telephone, the most recent call coming just a few weeks before her death on 18 December 2023. Our dear friend’s enthusiasm for Cumbria in Bloom and Britain in Bloom will not be forgotten. Her words would send us all out determined to do even more for the community. She was small in stature, but had a massive presence and when she spoke, she never needed a microphone – a special lady indeed, who will be missed by many.”
In extracts of her Patron’s remarks from Cumbria in Bloom AGM minutes, Olive said, she ‘was very proud to be a Patron’ and that involvement in Cumbria in Bloom was ‘an enhancement of people’s lives’ and ‘volunteering should not be considered to be a chore – what you put in, you get out.’
Cumbria in Bloom Vice President, Alan Heath, added:
“Olive loved Cumbria in Bloom. When Olive arrived at a Cumbria in Bloom event, she lit up the room and the occasion was complete. Everyone knew that, despite her years, she would speak and would raise everyone’s enthusiasm to try even harder to commit to Cumbria in Bloom.”
