City of London, Hillingdon, London Bridge & Westminster have been selected from more than 1,000 entrants from across the UK to take part in the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom UK Finals 2014, as the campaign celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The finalists from London were nominated following the regional stage of judging in 2013. The shortlisted groups were chosen for their efforts to engage all members of the community, for demonstrating an exceptional commitment to helping the environment and for horticultural achievement.
In July / August, the finalists will be visited by two RHS judges who will meet community representatives and go on a tour of local projects. As well as the usual bedding displays, judges will inspect everything from local recycling initiatives to areas of natural habitat and conservation. They will also be looking at the management of street furniture and public parks, and will be assessing how well the group is responding to climate change and local challenges. Special awards will be presented to finalists demonstrating excellence in specific areas such as planting for pollinators and community involvement.
Each group is going for Gold in the hope of being crowned winner of their individual categories. Three out of the four nominated regions, Hillingdon, London Bridge and the City of London will be looking to build on their achievements from last year’s national finals. Results will be announced at an awards ceremony in Bristol this October and will be attended by representatives of all 72 finalists.
Stephanie Eynon, RHS Community Horticulture Manager, said: “This is a really special year to be an RHS Britain in Bloom UK finalist because it’s the 50th anniversary of the campaign. We would like to congratulate every group for reaching the finals of RHS Britain in Bloom but of course it’s not about beating fellow finalists, it’s about volunteers of all ages and walks of life gaining recognition for their extraordinary efforts to improve streets and neighbourhoods in towns, villages and cities across Britain. The awards are our opportunity to say ‘thank you’ and may I wish every finalist the very best of luck in this golden anniversary year.”
The story of Britain in Bloom began in 1964 when the tourist board wanted a way to market the country through floral displays. Since the RHS took over as the organising body in 2001, the focus of the campaign has widened to include helping the environment, strengthening communities and inspiring more people to get involved.
Although the campaign runs all year round, the run-up to the judges’ tour is a time when communities throughout the UK unite and redouble their efforts.
For more information on RHS Britain in Bloom www.rhs.org.uk/communities