Floral success 'helped my cancer recovery'

Joan Atkinson and her partner Ron both volunteer for Washington Village in Bloom

A woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer said helping her village become "best in the country" in a floral competition gave her the motivation to continue her treatment.

Joan Atkinson, from Washington Village near Sunderland, faced four months of chemotherapy and 20 sessions of radiotherapy after being diagnosed in May 2023.

She remained as the leader of a volunteer group which steered the community to scoop the Royal Horticultural Society's Britain in Bloom best village gold award, last year.

Ms Atkinson said she was driven by the hope of seeing flowers she had planted bloom later on in the year, as well as the pride of potentially bringing the award home.

"The team gets [you] through it... it was incredible," she said.

More than a dozen people - including Bailey the dog - volunteer with the group which supplies its own plants

Ms Atkinson was only meant to lead the group for three months but has ended up in the role for seven years.

On the mornings she had treatment she would still complete administration work for the group, or help to plant flowers in the afternoon.

She said: "Going through the seasons, thinking you wouldn't see them coming up and you do, so it's just incredible.

"I was bald with the treatment, had my baker's cap on, but was treated no differently by everyone and I think that was important."

Joan rang the bell at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital to mark she was going home after being treated for breast cancer

Her volunteers said "she likes to do a good job", despite being known in jest for "cracking the whip".

Pauline Johnson, Washington Village in Bloom treasurer, said: "She came into the village and she would inspire us, you saw how well she coped and how she developed."

The group has recently been judged for the Best Village in Northumbria awards, which covers communities from Berwick-upon-Tweed right down to North Yorkshire, with the results expected later this year.

Ms Atkinson said everybody in the group had "our fingers crossed".