Birmingham City Council’s Birmingham in Bloom competition is on the lookout for green fingered council tenants and neighbourhood heroes.
The annual competition shines a light on council tenants and lease holders who green up their environment and take pride in their communities. This year’s competition – which starts and closes earlier than previous years – is going a step further with three awards that recognise tenants and young people who improve their neighbourhoods and support people in their community.
Joan Goodwin, chair of the City Housing Liaison Board, said: “Birmingham in Bloom celebrates the work put in by tenants and leaseholders to bring colour and pride to their communities through their gardening skills. This year we thought we would celebrate how people in our communities support each other too with some new awards and prizes for those people who really go out of their way to help their neighbours.”
Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for housing and homes, Cllr Peter Griffiths, added: “Birmingham in Bloom never fails to impress with community gardens, vibrant flower displays and tasty produce. This year I would really like to encourage people who haven’t entered before to get creative with their gardening skills and think about who makes a difference in their community. I would also like to thank our sponsors for their continued support for this event which shows what we can achieve when we all work together.”
The deadline for entries is 30 June 2017. Entry forms are available at local libraries and leisure centres or online at https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20006/housing/1134/birmingham_in_bloom_-_competition and there are lots of great prizes on offer for district and citywide winners in the following categories –
Best front garden – display with the most impact, variety of plants, special features, design and layout Best balcony – visible display of colour, creative with space, ie hanging baskets or window box Healthy Start Award – home grown produce, ie vegetable patch or allotments Community Garden – street or community garden Cleaner Greener Community Award – recognising tenants who have improved the appearance of their neighbourhood Young Person/Group Achievement Award – recognising how young people and young people’s groups have made a positive contribution to their neighbourhood Helping Hand Award – a tenant/leaseholder who has helped someone in their community ie with their garden, waste collection or grocery shop
District winners and their guests will be invited to the awards ceremony at the Banqueting Suite in the Council House on 27 September 2017.
Cash prizes, trophies and gardening tools are sponsored by: Fortem, Glendale, idverde, Keepmoat, The Conservation Volunteers and Wates.
