This is the non competitive category of the RHS Britain in Bloom Campaign and is ideal for any group taking the first steps towards community improvement. Any group (defined as more than one person) eager to make a difference to their local environment, whether a few neighbours keen to tackle local litter, or a larger action group determined to turn around a problem “grot spot” or eyesore is eligible to enter.
Heart of England in Bloom are delighted with the standards achieved by our neighbourhood entrants since this category was introduced in our region in 2006 and the increase in groups taking part.
Getting involved is very easy, in fact, you only need 2 things:
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A group (2 or more people)
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An idea or project
Once you have these things, you are ready to get started!
It’s Your Neighbourhood is all about bringing members of the community together to make a positive change to the place they live, work or spend their leisure time. Groups participating in the campaign are asked to focus on its three core pillars
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Community Participation (40% of the marks)
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Environmental Responsibility (30% of the marks)
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Gardening Achievement (30% of the marks).
Whilst participating groups are not judges against each other, they are visited by environment and horticultural in bloom experts, who provide valuable feedback and helpful advise on how to develop current activities and encourage ongoing improvements.
This is an important step in extending the in bloom ethos/ethic to localities that have been neglected, or to new potential entrants who aspire to improve their local environment.
The Neighbourhood Awards are no competitive, welcoming groups taking the first steps towards community regeneration.
Based on the assessment visit, each community will an RHS certificate of achievement reflecting the extents to which participants have net the It’s Your Neighbourhood aims as encompassed in the three core pillars.
There are five levels of achievement in
It’s Your Neighbourhood
Establishing | Improving | Advancing | Thriving | Outstanding
Groups who have performed consistently well over a period of time may be nominated to receive the It’s Your Neighbourhood National Certificate Of Distinction.
Representatives will receive their certificates at the annual Heart of England in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards Presentation Ceremony.
It’s Your neighbourhood is open to groups of all sizes and with a variety of projects, as long as they are focused on cleaning up and greening their local area and are:
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A group
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Involved in community gardening
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Representative of the local and/or getting input form the community volunteer led. Sustainable over time
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Owned by the community and with the community responsible for the work
Some examples of It’s Your Neighbourhood groups are:
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A residents group /association
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A friends of group
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A youth group
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An alley gate area
Communities involved in bloom create real benefits for their communities as a result in their participation.
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Increased resident pride in the local area and true sense of community
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Better communication across the whole community on matters of local interest
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Stimulation of voluntary work and better co-operation between residents, with the local authority and local businesses
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The involvement of young people in community activities and the increased co-operation of generations meeting community goals
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A real reduction in vandalism, fly posting and litter
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Encouragement of recycling and reducing waste
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Sustainable improvements and conservation benefits to local surroundings that can be built on year to year
The regional in bloom co-ordinator will provide on going advice assistance, throughout the communities participation in the neighbourhoods category.
The spin off from co-operative effort pays real dividends to the local community:
Safe neighbourhood green spaces healthy, clean play areas a new sense of pride
new skills I.e. sowing, propagating and planting growing of plants communication of many kinds socialising across age ranges etc.new horizons-self confidence leading to raising aspirations as new skills are acquired new sense of responsibility in shared ownership of a renovated environment satisfaction of working in partnership in a common cause the fostering of talents previously undiscovered.
The excitement of this category comes from the neighbourhoods themselves where the challenges are huge and where overcoming problems, to bring dreams to reality neds plenty of grit and determination.
We hope that many more local community projects will come forward. The catalyst can be simple: one householder deciding to put out a planter of window box, one group of neighbours beginning to keep their own street clean of litter and graffiti: one gardener making an impact in a row of pots. From small acorns……!
Communities are not asked to pay a fee to participate in the its Your Neighbourhood Campaign. All bloom support and advice, literature, judging assessment, feedback and achievement award certificates are free of charge to communities.
For further details of the Neighbourhood Awards Category, your regional Britain in Bloom campaign or the overall Britain Bloom campaign, please contact:
Co-ordinator/Secretary
Emma Sibbing
Tel: 07766088075