Hilda Sheldon

In 1991 a group of Biddulph traders met with the Town Council to discuss ways to restore pride in the town. Hilda Sheldon, who owned Brammer’s shoe shop, came up with the idea of the town entering the Britain in Bloom competition. She later said, “It was a ridiculous suggestion at the time because the town was in no way in bloom, for a start we didn’t have any flowers”.

A volunteer garden army was set up and have ever since been working their magic with the help of local groups. Funding has been provided by generous donations from individuals, groups, businesses and grants. Hilda and her army have transformed the town with trees, shrubs and flowers and have won numerous awards.

In 2000, Hilda was rewarded for her efforts to give Biddulph a floral facelift when she received an MBE from the Queen. She said, “The award was really nice for the town and it just went to show how far we’d come. There was a huge loss of employment with the closure of the mines and the town’s spirit was dampened. Now the town looks a lot brighter and a much more pleasant place to spend your time.”

Hilda was well known in the town; she could be seen gardening in all weathers, but she was also the Chair who managed the Charity with such success. She balanced this with being both a Town and District Councillor.

Hilda sadly died in 2022, but the Charity members endeavour to live up to her legacy and continue the work she did into the future. She will never be forgotten.