Welwyn Garden City nominated for prestigious Britain in Bloom competition

Judges with the Mayor, Cllr Bonfante and council officers.

WHBC and the Welwyn Garden City Business Improvement District (BID) have been nominated for the prestigious nationwide community gardening competition, Britain in Bloom.

Following their success as an entrant to the Anglia in Bloom competition, WHBC and the BID will be representing the Anglia region in the Britain in Bloom competition and are amongst 52 community gardening groups across the country that have secured a place in the 2024 finals. The Council and the BID are competing in the Business Improvement District category for the Welwyn Garden City BID area and will be up against three other notable entries, namely InExeter (South West in Bloom), Team London Bridge BID (London in Bloom), and Ulverston Business Improvement District (Cumbria in Bloom).

Each of the 17 Bloom Regions and Nations, which run individual Bloom competitions, nominate the highest performing entries to compete in the UK finals. Britain in Bloom judges visited each of the finalists in August, including Welwyn Garden City on 13 August and the winners of each category will be announced at an awards ceremony in the autumn.

The judges evaluated entries based on a range of criteria including the environment, community engagement and horticulture.

Cllr Sandreni Bonfante, Executive Member, Environment, said:

“We are very lucky to live in such a beautiful place such as Welwyn Hatfield.  The hard work of our council officers, contractors and community volunteers is essential in ensuring that our borough remains visually pleasing for everyone and that our residents are proud to live here. Our previous successes in Anglia in Bloom competition and our nomination to the 2024 Britain in Bloom competition are a testament to that hard work.  I wish everyone good luck for our entry to the Britain in Bloom competition.”

Britain in Bloom is celebrating 60 years in 2024 with the chosen theme for this milestone year being ‘friendship’.

Kay Clark, RHS Community Development Manager, said: “Gardening brings people together and enriches lives. Social connections are fundamental to good health and wellbeing, and for the Bloom 60th anniversary, we’ll be celebrating the friendships and social benefits forged through plants and gardening.”

Further information on the Britain in Bloom 2024 competition can be found on the Britain in Bloom website. The results of the competition will be eagerly awaited and announced in October 2024.

Published: 13th August 2024