Keeping you up to date around town

Bracknell Flowers Continue to Bloom

11/09/07

The Bracknell Flowers Team were celebrating continued success in this year’s Britain in Bloom competition, with Bracknell’s entry winning the Silver Gilt Award certificate at the Thames and Chilterns regional heats.

At a presentation on 5 September at Stratfield Brake Sports Ground, Kidlington, Bracknell was also presented with Regional Awards for the region’s best commercial involvement, best water conservation project and a special award for Sandy Lane School.

Judges from Thames and Chiltern in Bloom said: "Bracknell Flowers 2007 was a splendid entry and we are full of praise for the wide range of colourful floral displays and permanent landscaping, which have had a very positive impact on the town centre. We would like to congratulate the team, led by Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, for the worthwhile environmental considerations and the sheer volume and extent of the commercial support achieved.

"We were particularly impressed with the use of spare clean water produced by the Boehringer Ingelheim plant for watering the town centre displays, and also would like to congratulate Sandy Lane school for their Eco-schools project, which incorporated landscape, vegetable gardens and fruit trees. Bracknell has clearly demonstrated how the Britain in Bloom competition can galvanise Council, local business stakeholders and the wider community. Well done!"

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection said "We receive great support throughout the year from residents, volunteer groups, local businesses and even our schools and I believe that working in partnership with the people who live and work in Bracknell Forest is one of the keys to our success in the Britain in Bloom competition."

Helen Barnett of BRP is delighted that Bracknell has continued to achieve a high standard for the fifth year running, commenting: "The RHS judges had many positive comments to make as we took them on a tour of Bracknell Forest in July. Today’s announcement is testament to the effort and commitment that the team has put into delivering the creative floral displays and strong permanent landscaping.

"The response from local businesses to sponsor Bracknell Flowers 2007 has been overwhelming and was a key factor in our winning the Regional Award for best commercial involvement. We would like to thank our generous sponsors for their support of Bracknell’s entry in the Britain in Bloom competition."

Representatives from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) visited Bracknell Forest in July to judge the borough’s entry for Britain in Bloom. The Bracknell Flowers team, with representatives from the Borough Council, BRP, Bracknell Town Council and local business sponsors hosted the visit, which included a tour of the town and a presentation.

Steve McKenna, Landscape Manager for the Council said: "This year, we have continued our commitment to an environmentally friendly Britain in Bloom entry, which has led to us winning the Regional Award for best water conservation thanks to the success of our partnership with locally based pharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim, who supplied the recycled water. Sustainability initiatives favoured by RHS judges include the use of recycled water, water retaining gel crystals and trickle irrigation systems all contribute to our more sustainable approach in all of our planting across the borough. "Your Gardens", the borough wide gardening competition that support our entry has also been greeted with much enthusiasm and played a significant part in Bracknell Forest’s success at Britain in Bloom, with judges this year commenting on the excellent community involvement and public awareness that Bracknell Forest residents have shown."

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