Strath groups win at Bloom awards
A host of triumphs at Take a Pride in Perthshire
Strathearn’s green- fingered volunteers were celebrating this week after winning a host of awards in the prestigious Take a Pride in Perthshire Awards.
Representatives of the ‘ In Bloom’ committees gathered at Perth’s Salutation Hotel last Thursday to hear who had been awarded the top prizes.
And members of Muthill in Bloom were delighted to be named Best Small Village, with judges describing Muthill as “an exemplary village demonstrating all and more of that required of a campaign”.
Chair of the organisation Susan Crawford said: “The village was looking lovely when the judges arrived which was great as we had a fair bit of work to do after the bad weather just beforehand.
“Everyone worked really hard and we’re absolutely delighted with the result.”
The village has also entered the Small Village category in the Beautiful Scotland competition and will find out on Wednesday this week whether volunteers have also been successful in that contest.
Also taking part in the Small Village Category at the Pride in Perthshire Awards was Blackford, whose volunteers from Blackford is Brighter were awarded a Gold Medal.
Chairman Gary James said he believed it was the organisation’s involvement with the local primary school which helped them win.
He said: “We’ve had great links with the school this year and a woman called Nikki Sinclair from the PTA joined our committee and was brilliant. We made a garden at the school with little bird boxes, hedgehog boxes, a book cupboard and also planted vegetables there and it’s very impressive.
“We won gold last year as well so we’re really pleased with our success again.”
In the Small Country Town category, the Auchterarder Bloom Association and Crieff in Leaf were each awarded a Silver Gilt medal.
Judy Pirie, chair of Auchterarder Bloom Association, said the committee was delighted to retain the Silver Gilt which they have won for the past three years. She said: “We were up against tough competition so we were very pleased with that and we’re aiming for a gold medal next year.
“We’re a small committee and have been delighted to have four new ladies joining us as volunteers this year.
“We’ve done a lot of work particularly around the St Margaret’s Hospital roundabout and have been working hard to keep the town looking lovely.”
Crieff in Leaf chair Keith Stewart said the Silver Gilt medal was a reflection of the hard work carried out by their team of 15 or so volunteers.
He said: “We’ve had a few awards over the years. We’re not competitive animals, though, we just like doing it for the satisfaction and to see the town looking its best.
“On behalf of Crieff in Leaf, I’d like to thank the community for its continued support.”
Group members were also recently presented with an anonymous note praising them for their efforts.
An extract of the card, addressed “Dear Crieff in Leafers” reads: “My daughter from Australia and I were in Crieff and we both said: ‘These are the best street/plant/ flower decorations we have seen anywhere!’
“We so admired the different leaf shapes, sizes and colours which, when the flowers faded, the design went on being attractive.”
The criteria for the Take a Pride in Perthshire competition covers three parts – horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation.
And the judges were extremely impressed with the communities which took part.
In a joint statement, they noted: “We were struck by the enthusiasm, energy, skill and commitment from all the places we visited.
“The work from volunteers really makes a difference to enhance the local environmental quality and visual appearance of the towns and villages.
“It was a great privilege to be welcomed to the communities and they have all done exceptionally well.”