Volunteers, friends and community groups from across the city have been celebrating success, bringing home 29 awards from this year’s South and South East In Bloom campaign.
Horticultural and environmental projects across the city, from small gardening, wildlife and friends groups to city parks, churchyards and cemeteries, have been commended in the annual awards.
The volunteers who created Hove’s Secret Garden, which has been locked due to vandalism, were among those being awarded for their hard work.
Sadly, a computer error meant that the Preston Park Rockery, which has scooped several awards in the past, was not entered this year.
Gold awards went to Stanford and Cleveland Community Garden (our community), The Grange Rottingdean (heritage parks and gardens) and Brighton & Hove Extra Mural Cemetery – Woodvale Crematorium (large cemetery.)
Silver Gilt awards have been won by Hollingbury Park and Woods (large conservation area), St Margaret’s Parish Church, Rottingdean (churchyards), St Peter’s Churchyard and Wildlife Area Volunteers (our community) and Brunswick Town in Bloom which was the winner of the Urban Community category.
Silver awards went to Dyke Road Park (large park) and Sheepcote Valley (large conservation area) while bronze awards were given to Brilliant Brighton in the Business Improvement section and Saunders Park in the small parks section.
The South & South East in Bloom campaign aims to encourage communities to work together to create lasting improvements to their local environment for the benefit of those that live, work and visit.
Participating communities are asked to focus their initiatives on horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation.
This means In Bloom communities tackle everything from litter, graffiti and anti-social behaviour through to conservation, sustainability and improving horticultural standards, which results in a positive impact on sense of place, community spirit and pride.
Each year hundreds of communities enter their projects for a range of awards, and this year’s results reflect the high standards achieved by volunteer groups in the city.
In the It’s Your Neighbourhood category, Brighton and Hove scooped several top awards with Racehill Community Orchard, the Secret Garden Group, St Peters Churchyard and Wildlife Area Volunteers, Stanford and Cleveland Community Garden, all gaining a Level 5 outstanding award, while the Friends of Hove Park, Waterloo Street Arch Community Gardens, The Hop 50+ Gardening Group, The Norfolk Square Group, Lansdowne Place and Friends of Preston Manor Gardens, were described as thriving, Level 4.
Other accolades went to Brunswick Road Community Garden, Farman Street Garden, Friends of Brunswick Square & Terrace, Lansdowne Street, St Nicholas Green Spaces – Sustain, The Friends of Palmeira & Adelaide, Friends of Surrenden Field and Woodingdean Community Association.
Cllr Gill Mitchell, chair of the environment committee said: “It’s wonderful see such a wide variety of community projects across the city gaining national recognition and the hundreds of hard working volunteers rewarded for their efforts.
“As council budgets are steadily cut, we rely on volunteers to work with our parks staff to maintain and enhance our parks, gardens and other green and spaces.
“By continuing to work together in this way we can we build on this success and ensure Brighton & Hove blooms well into the future.”
Thank you to Jo Wadsworth for highlighting the South and South East in Bloom successes achieved across the city. The groups, many of them volunteer run, are protecting and nurturing our local environment in the face of diminishing resources and deserve these accolades. Brighton & Hove Green Spaces Forum is holding an event on Monday 15th October at Jury’s Waterfront Hotel to celebrate these successes to which all winners have been invited. The event is being hosted by Simon Fanshawe OBE and the Mayor, Cllr. Dee Simson will be in attendance. Cllr. Gill Mitchell Chair of the Environment Transport & Sustainability committee will be a speaker.