Leading up to judging every summer, volunteers in the area work exceptionally hard to make sure our towns are blooming beautifully and the streets are kept clean. As well as the In Bloom committees, many local community groups have been rewarded as part of the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ awards – many congratulations to everyone involved! This year, Radstock was awarded the Silver Gilt in the Leisure Awards for Businesses, with Midsomer Norton winning Gold in the Preece Cup and overall category trophy winner. The Midsomer Norton In Bloom team’s eyes are now looking to Friday’s Britain In Bloom results, where the town is competing at a national level.

Radstock: Last Thursday, five members of the Radstock in Bloom team travelled to the Somerset County Cricket Ground at Taunton, to attend the South West in Bloom Presentation Ceremony; and, with a bright, warm autumnal day, the setting was perfect for the event.

At 10 a.m. Jon Wheatley, Chairman of the RHS South West in Bloom, took to the stage and introduced the Guest of Honour who was to present the awards, Lady Emma Fellows, who gave a short, but very informative speech.

The morning session was the It’s Your Neighbourhood awards, with Radstock coming away with seventeen certificates, the recipients are as follows: Clandown Orchard Project – Advancing, Connections – Outstanding, Fromeway Inn – Outstanding, Haydon Allotments – Outstanding, Haydon Community Garden – Outstanding, Meadow View Residents – Outstanding, Radstock Co-op Volunteers – Outstanding, Radstock Town Team – Outstanding, St Nicholas C of E Primary School – Outstanding, St Nicholas Church Graveyard – Outstanding, SWALLOW Café and Community Garden – Outstanding, Trinity Methodists’ Church Garden – Outstanding, Writhlington Allotments – Outstanding, Writhlington Community School Orchid Project – Outstanding, Writhlington Village Hall – Outstanding, Westfield Primary Team – Outstanding, W.A.G.S. – Outstanding.

The afternoon was presenting the main South West in Bloom awards, during which Radstock received Silver Gilt in the Leisure Awards for Businesses: The Radstock Hotel, Radstock Town Team and Radstock Co-op – a very impressive result, as in this section, the team were up against entrants such as Bristol Zoo.

All of these certificates will be presented during the Radstock Town Council’s ‘Making a Difference’ awards this Thursday evening at Radstock Methodist Church, where the winners of Radstock in Bloom’s Front Garden and Allotment competition will also be revealed.

The AGM of Radstock’s In Bloom committee will take place on 27th October at 7 p.m. in Trinity Methodist Church Hall, Radstock, where plans to re-enter the Ayre Cup with the theme, ‘Gardening is good for you – health and wellbeing in horticulture’, with the colours pink, white, lemon, yellow and indigo, will be discussed. Everyone is welcome to come along.

Congratulations also to Westfield, with Westfield Primary School, Westfield Allotments and the Gardening Society awarded Outstanding in the It’s Your Neighbourhood section of the competition. The Parish Council is now organising a ceremony to present the certificates.

Midsomer Norton: Amazing In Bloom results were announced for Midsomer Norton last week in Taunton, with the town awarded not only Gold in the Preece Cup, but also the overall category trophy winner.

In addition, the River Somer Project was awarded an overall South West award as Joint Winners of the London and Manchester Trophy for an Outstanding Environmental Initiative. This was on the basis of not only the original planting and its management, but also a project with schoolchildren to promote awareness of the amount of wildlife in the river.

Cllr Paul Myers, Mayor of Midsomer Norton, was at the Award Ceremony, after which he said: “This year’s results are fantastic and bear testament to all the hard work done by the many volunteers and the Town Council’s contractors, who work tirelessly all year to make the town look so wonderful. Well done to all involved.”

The town also entered sixteen It’s Your Neighbourhood awards and achieved the following results: Midsomer Norton Primary School – Outstanding, Welton After School Club Initiative (WACI) – Outstanding, Welton Primary School – Outstanding, Silver Street Local Nature Reserve – Outstanding, River Somer Management Team – Outstanding, The Hollies Gardens – Somer Valley Gardening Group – Thriving, Midsomer Norton Community Allotments – Advancing, Midsomer Norton Methodist Church – Advancing, NYC (Norton Youth Club), Hollies Bed – Advancing, Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust – Advancing, St Chad’s Well Restoration, Midsomer Norton Society – Improving, Welton Village Group – Improving, Somer Valley Skate and Adventure Play Park, Writhlington Sports Trust – Improving, Garden of Friendship – Midsomer Norton Society and Partners – Establishing, Midsomer Norton Town Park, Midsomer Norton Society – Establishing, Wellow Brook Walk, Midsomer Norton Society – Establishing.