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Christchurch has come away with two silver gilt awards at this year’s South & South East in Bloom awards. Not only has the Borough won a silver gilt in the Coastal Town category, but it has also gained a similar award in the Inter-Regional Champion of Champions category which pits towns in the South and South East against those from East Anglia. Although the awards celebrate floral contributions to the beauty of a town, they cover much more than this. Marks are awarded for horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation. Remarks from the judges who visited the town in July with regard to horticultural achievement made particular mention of the work done by volunteers at the railway station and sustainable plantings at The Captains Club and Christchurch Harbour Hotel, as well as the hanging baskets in the town. For the environmental responsibility section, the judges were impressed by the work being done at Stanpit Marsh which they considered to be a well-managed site. The continuing development of Friars Cliff beach was also an example of good practice. With regard to community participation, the judges pointed out once again the initiatives by the Friends of Christchurch Station as well as the splashpark which was designed following a consultation with local young people. Clive Sinden, Open Spaces and Countryside Manager at Christchurch Council, said: “This is another encouraging performance for the town and we’re very grateful for the efforts of everyone who contributes to help us achieve these awards. “The judges’ remarks were very positive but they also gave us some useful pointers to help us improve the environment further, including some ideas about making more out of New Zealand gardens, perhaps with some sponsored art works. These are things which we will have to take into consideration for the future.”
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