"Fantastic" in-bloom results for local towns (From Malvern Gazette)

"Fantastic" in-bloom results for local towns

1:20pm Thursday 11th September 2008

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LOCAL towns have triumphed in this year’s Heart of England in Bloom competition.

Representatives from Malvern, Upton and Bromyard travelled to Burton-upon-Trent for a special awards ceremony yesterday (Thursday, September 11).

Upton upon Severn was the day’s biggest success story, claiming its now customary Gold award but also being named the winner in the large village category and the overall Heart of England in Bloom winner.

Upton is the first town in the area to scoop that accolade and spokesman Jackie Surtees said the result was beyond all her expectations.

“It is just fantastic, we cannot believe it,” she said. “Being the overall winner is something you hope for but you never think you will actually achieve it.

“This is testament to all the hard work that has gone in from everybody involved. It is not just our committee, it is all our volunteers and everyone in the town who has helped out.”

Malvern in Bloom is also celebrating after receiving a Silver Gilt award on its first entry into the Large Towns category.

Chairman John Jordan, who also collected a special merit award for his personal efforts in promoting the Heart of England in Bloom Neighbourhood Awards, said: “I am over the moon. This is more than I had dared hope for.

“A big thank you and full marks to everyone who has been involved, I hope that they will all join in again next year.

Malvern also had five entries into the Neighbourhood Awards section, with the Community Hospital leading the way with a Gold award.

There were Silvers for Lansdowne Crescent, The Nags Head and the Madresfield Road Allotments, and the Elgar Regeneration Garden collected an Improvement Award.

Bromyard exceeded expectations by gaining its fourth gold in a row at the annual competition.

Town councillor and driving force behind Bromyard’s entry, Gill Churchill, attended the awards ceremony.

A trophy also went to Queen Elizabeth Humanities College for an entry into the Neighbourhood Awards that included a sensory garden, bird and bat boxes and a vegetable garden.

Dr Michael Goodman, deputy headteacher at the school, said: “We’re absolutely over the moon.”

Ledbury and Tarrington also collected Gold awards.

While most towns are now turning their attention to next year’s competition, members of Upton in Bloom are keeping their fingers crossed for the Britain in Bloom results, which are announced on Wednesday, September 24.

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