Latest News
Latest Wales in Bloom News
** Important Message from the Chairman ** 2020
Dear entrants,
Due to the fast developing COVID-19 outbreak in the UK and our concerns here at Wales in Bloom I have today participated in a telephone conference with the RHS and all other Regions/Nations with regard to any Bloom activity this year.
Wales in Bloom Main Campaign 2020
For Wales in Bloom, we appreciate you will have already been preparing to take part in this year’s campaign and so it saddens us to a great extent to cancel at this time. However, your, our and everyone’s health and well-being is paramount and we believe our decision is the right decision for all in Wales – to cancel our Wales in Bloom Main Campaign 2020.
You will also be aware of the UK Government heightened actions to encourage social distancing and I am mindful as our campaign encourages the opposite of this, I am sure you will understand it would be wrong for us to further promote and run the campaign this year.
As our motto says we are committed to `Helping Communities Grow’ – for this year please concentrate your efforts on `Helping your Communities’ in whatever way you can, protecting yourselves and especially those who are most vulnerable.
All Wales in Bloom main category entries will now be cancelled for this year.
If you have paid an entry fee for a main category entry please advise us if you would prefer to receive a full refund at this time or are prepared for us to retain and rollover your payment for your 2021 entry.
`It’s Your Neighbourhood’ Awards 2020.
This year we have seen a record number of `It’s Your Neighbourhood’ entries in Wales. `It’s Your Neighbourhood’ entries where a fee is not applicable will be placed `on hold’. We are currently working closely with the RHS and will update you as soon as we receive any further information with regard to this.
Please pass on this message to all members of your groups. We hope you all stay safe and well throughout these uncertain times.
Once again, I thank you for your understanding, commitment and support.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us via
My kindest regards,
Peter Barton-Price (Chairman)
Wales in Bloom
RHS 2020 – GROW SOCIAL
All Bloom and It’s Your Neighbourhood groups are invited to sign-up to Grow Social, as the theme for 2020, and to host an event this April.
However, if April isn’t the best time for you, feel free to hold your activities at any time of the year.
RHS brand-new initiative for 2020, is designed to bring people together using the power of plants.
Feb 2020
Welsh finalists announced for RHS Britain in Bloom 2020
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Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) reveals the four Welsh finalists vying to win the UK’s largest community gardening competition
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70 cities, towns and villages UK-wide will compete across 11 categories with nearly two-thirds greening urban areas
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Finalists assessed on their horticultural, community and environmental efforts
Four Welsh finalists are competing in this year’s RHS Britain in Bloom competition with communities across the UK increasingly recognising the value of green spaces to people and the planet.
Now in its 56th year, 70 competition finalists will be going all-out to showcase their horticultural skills, community and environmental efforts. Finalists are put forward to the UK final based on their progress nationally and regionally and compete across 11 categories including village, town and coastal.
Representing Wales will be Colwyn Bay, Denbigh, the villages of Mathern, Mounton & Pwllmeyric and Usk.
Each will be visited by a pair of RHS judges in August as they vie for a medal, a category win and to be named Champion of Champions.
Nearly two-thirds of finalists are participating in town, city or other urban categories, reflecting growing recognition of the importance of plants and green space for both wellbeing and the environment.
Last year, the competition was won by the Scottish city of Perth which impressed with its whole-community approach to sustainability, pollinator-friendly planting and campaign to raise awareness of and collect plastic waste.
Chair of the Britain in Bloom judging panel, Darren Share, said: “We’re noticing more towns and cities keen to tackle some of today’s most pressing challenges by tapping into the benefits of urban greening, with reasons ranging from concerns about our changing climate and air pollution to turning the tide on high street decline.”
John Summers OBE, Chair of Beautiful Perth, said: “Winning the Champion of Champions award has meant a great deal to everyone in Perth. We have had so many comments about how clean and green our city looks, and what a positive impact that has on the local economy and quality of life. Winning really has boosted pride in our Fair City of Perth.”
The Champion of Champions title, winners of each category and finalists’ medals – ranging from gold to bronze – will be announced in Manchester in October.
For more information about RHS Britain in Bloom and to search for community gardening groups in your area please visit https://www.rhs.org.uk/communities/find-a-group-search-form
INVITATION TO WALES IN BLOOM 2020
LAUNCH EVENT
Dear all,
We have pleasure in announcing our Launch Event for 2020 which we be held at Powis Castle on 14th February 2020 and would like to invite you to join us there to launch this year’s Wales in Bloom campaign. May we thank the National Trust, once again, for their continuous support for our launch events here in Wales.
Wales in Bloom 2020 – LAUNCH EVENT
DATE: 14th February 2020
LAUNCH VENUE: POWIS CASTLE & GARDEN
Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8RF
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle-and-garden
Please click below for directions
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle-and-garden#How to get here
LAUNCH EVENT – TIMETABLE
10.00AM onwards
FREE ENTRY
ARRIVALS / LIGHT REFRESHMENTS ON ARRIVAL
10.30AM
OFFICIAL START
10.30AM – 12.00 noon
LAUNCH EVENT `WALES IN BLOOM’ 2020
12.00 FINISH + onwards
ACCESS TO POWIS CASTLE AND GARDENS
12.15
LUNCH -please note lunch is to be booked and paid for by attendees on the day
Menu on the day – eg. sandwiches, jacket potatoes, full meal, etc
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PLEASE RESPOND NO LATER THAN 31st January 2020
In order to confirm numbers, we would appreciate if you could confirm the following by return to :
(if unable to attend please also let us know)
NAME/S OF ATTENDEES
(Max. 2 per Organisation/Group)
ORGANISATION/GROUP
NB. Please note lunch is payable by attendees
e look forward to seeing you all there on 14th February 2020
Once again, many thanks to all at the National Trust for hosting this event and supporting our Wales in Bloom Campaign 2020.
Wales in Bloom
November 2019
Dear all,
Each year Wales in Bloom are asked to put forward `nominees’ to the overall RHS `Britain in Bloom’ campaign.
The RHS Britain in Bloom 2019 awards have now been held and we are hugely proud of the entries from Wales and would like to take this opportunity to say `Congratulations’ to them in achieving:
Britain in Bloom 2019
Large Coastal : Llandudno awarded Gold and overall `Large Coastal Category’ winner
Large Town : Prestatyn awarded Gold
Town : Ystradgynlais awarded Silver Gilt
Discretionary Awards
These awards are given to finalists that demonstrated genuine excellence in specific areas:
For one of the RHS Community Champions : Award to Cynthia Davis (Ystradgynlais)
To view the full breakdown of the RHS Britain in Bloom awards 2019 and category winners – please click here
Congratulations!
September 2019
Dear all,
How to get involved ….
Wales in Bloom Committee Members / Judges / `It’s Your Neighbourhood’ Assessors for Wales in Bloom 2020 / Sponsorship for Categories
Here at Wales in Bloom we are continually committed to our `Bloom Campaign’ and to finding people with the enthusiasm, passion and devotion we have to drive the campaign throughout Wales on a National level.
We are a voluntary organisation and if you think you would like to get involved, have some time to commit to make a real difference to communities and `Help Communities Grow’ we would love to hear from you.
Please send your details to us if you are interested in joining our `Wales in Bloom’ family.
We are also continually seeking `sponsorship’ for our `Wales in Bloom’ Categories – if you know of any organisations who may be interested in sponsoring one of our Categories, please ask them to contact us.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to hearing from you.
September 2019
Wales in Bloom Results 2019
8June 2019
Judging of the Main Campaign will take place during the first two weeks in July 2019.
It's Your Neighbourhood assessments will take place during the first two weeks in July 2019.
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Entries into Wales in Bloom 2019 are now closed.
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