Whitehaven Town Council paid the touching tribute to Robert ‘Bob’ Bennett, who created attractive flower displays across the town on behalf of the council.
At the latest town council meeting, members stood for a minute’s silence and then shared their memories of the 81-year-old, who died suddenly on August 1.
Bob Bennett was presented with an award from deputy mayor of Whitehaven, Chris Hayes, last year for his work on the town’s flower displays (Image: Archive)
Mr Bennett worked with his older brother Jim, his entire life. They ran the biggest milk round in Whitehaven, delivering all over the town and surrounding areas.
After closing their milk business in 2010, the brothers, of Distington, devoted their time to gardening and secured landscaping work with John Swift Homes, as well as creating flowerbeds in Distington and growing flower plants for the council.
Paying tribute to Mr Bennett, Ray Gill, chair of Whitehaven Town Council, said: “They were very hard working lads. Salt of the earth.
“They did a great job with our flowers. Everybody who sees our town centre comments on how good it is.”
Bob and Jim Bennett were described as ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘very hard working’ by the mayor of Whitehaven, Ray Gill (Image: Family handout)
Brian O’Kane, who represents Whitehaven Central North, said: “We started off with 13 hanging baskets a lot of years ago. We struggled with how to brighten the town up.
“Bob came into the picture and from then on, our town centre has gone from strength to strength, with both brothers doing unbelievable work to help us.
“It was work that was done with sheer joy and happiness from both gents. We are going to have a heck of a job trying to follow the quality of what Bob did.
“They did virtually everything we asked and their prices were always favourable to the town council.”
Cllr O’Kane said he and the town clerk, Marlene Jewell, had been discussing how to commemorate Mr Bennett and it had been suggested a bench could be installed in St Nicholas’ Gardens, where some of Mr Bennett’s flowerbeds are on display.
Cllr Gill requested the item be added to the agenda for the next meeting.
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