Town scoops Bloom gold again!
Loughborough has won gold eight times since 2009
LOUGHBOROUGH is once again blooming proud after striking gold at the East Midlands in Bloom awards.
The town also won the Best Small City category, after scoring 10 points more than its competitors.
This is the eighth time Loughborough has won gold since it began competing in 2009.
The awards ceremony took place on Wednesday in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
Marion Smith, Loughborough in Bloom chair, said: “To win gold for the eighth year running is a fantastic achievement. It’s been an incredibly tough year as we’ve experienced such a hot summer but I think everybody in the town will agree Loughborough still looked blooming beautiful this year.
“I’d also like to congratulate Quorn, Barrow and Syston whose hard work was also acknowledged at this year’s awards.”
Loughborough embraced this year’s RHS theme ‘Greening Grey Britain for Wildlife’ by adopting a red, white and blue colour scheme in the town. Hanging basket trees in the town centre, main
roundabouts and Epinal Way were all planted with sophinia’s, to compliment the dressing of the town centre with red, white and blue bunting.
The beacon within Queen’s Park was planted with green, white and blue to mark the centenary of voting rights for women and the Suffragette movement.
Coun Jenny Bokor, the council’s lead member for Loughborough, said: “It’s
brilliant that Loughborough has once again won gold and it’s a testament to the hard work of all our partners, volunteers and officers.
“I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved this year and to Serco and Idverde for their continuing support of bloom. This is a wonderful achievement for our town.”
Coun Hilary Fryer, deputy chair of the Loughborough in Bloom board, added: “Being awarded gold for the eighth year in a row is fantastic. It’s another great achievement for everyone involved in Bloom.
“I’d like to commemorate Harry Cook who sadly passed away shortly after the Bloom judging day. Harry played an instrumental part in the success of Loughborough in Bloom and he did a great amount of good work with community groups and children in the town. His passing is a sad loss for the whole of Loughborough.”
A special mention was given to Harry Cook at the end of this year’s awards for his brilliant work with Loughborough in Bloom. Harry’s wife Pat attended the awards to accept a gold award for the fantastic floral display on the front of their home in Forest Road.
John Storer Charnwood received a judge’s award in recognition of their outstanding work with the ‘dig in’ community planters’ project in conjunction with Men in Sheds.
The Loughborough in Bloom effort was supported by community groups, residents, businesses and organisations from across Loughborough.