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Bracknell Flowers 2007 is blossom-ready at official launch

09/05/07

Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP), Bracknell Forest Borough Council (the Council) and Bracknell Town Council are working together to ensure Bracknell Flowers 2007 is the best the town has ever seen. Launched today, Bracknell Flowers is focusing on making the town centre and its surrounding villages bright, vibrant and beautiful.

Bracknell Flowers represents Bracknell’s entry in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom competition and this year organisers are hoping to repeat the success of recent years, which saw Bracknell Forest receiving the Silver Gilt Award certificate for best in the large town/small city category for the Thames and Chiltern regional heats four years in a row.

Attending the official launch ceremony, Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure and Corporate Services said: “The Bracknell Flowers team has achieved wonders in previous years and I am looking forward to seeing the magnificent displays they have in store for us this year. I am sure residents and visitors to Bracknell town centre will join me in thanking the generous sponsors and the dedicated team, without whose help we would not be here celebrating the launch of the special campaign that is putting our town on the map.”

Sponsors of this year’s Bracknell Flowers include the Town Council, Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, Land Securities plc, Quintiles, Easthampstead Park, Sejwix, Courtney Coaches, Bentalls and Fairbrother & Darlow.

Helen Barnett of BRP is looking to putting Bracknell on the map again with this year’s entry, commenting: “Having won best in category for four years running, we are determined to repeat the success and the team have put together a programme that blends creative floral displays with strong permanent landscaping that really brings the town centre to life with colour and structure.

“We want to thank both the team, working tirelessly behind the scenes, and all our generous sponsors, who together are bringing this year’s Bracknell Flowers to bloom.”

Planting out of the bright and colourful floral displays and landscaping will commence later this month and Bracknell Flowers will continue its commitment to an environmentally friendly Britain in Bloom entry, preferring sustainability initiatives, drought tolerant plants, water retention granules and special irrigation systems.

Steve McKenna, Landscape Manager at the Council is delighted with the support of the community, saying: “Bracknell Forest’s residents have greeted this year’s Your Gardens competition, which is a borough wide gardening competition that runs alongside Bracknell Flowers, with their usual enthusiasm and commitment. Launched earlier this year, Your Gardens is already very well subscribed by gardening enthusiasts of all levels of expertise and experience. We look forward to seeing the fruits, or blooms, of our residents’ efforts in the Your Gardens competition, which is generously sponsored by BRP.

“Importantly, Your Gardens has been a significant factor in Bracknell Forest’s success at Britain in Bloom, with judges of previous years commenting on the excellent community involvement and public awareness that Bracknell Forest residents have shown. It is satisfying knowing that the Your Gardens campaign has such a positive, unifying impact in the community.”

Representatives from the Royal Horticultural Society will visit Bracknell Forest in July to judge the borough’s entry. Winners are to be announced in the Autumn.