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How to grow a winning entry for Britain in Bloom
(These are the Royal Horticultural Society guidelines to help groups
like The Bloomers get started).
Regardless of who makes the official entry, the best results are
achieved when an enthusiastic local action committee is formed to
organise the bid. Ideally, the committee's members will represent
the whole community, with representatives from the local authority,
local business, voluntary and other organisations, residents and
gardening interests.
The role of the committee is to encourage participation, attract
support and sponsorship, provide advice, and keep an eye on standards,
quality and progress.
Community involvement
Get support from the local community by informing them of your
intentions to put together a 'Bloom' entry either by leafleting,
calling at homes, or through a residents' group.
Put up posters in local shops and supermarkets, in libraries, community
and leisure centres and notice boards.
Ask local traders, hotels, offices and factories to get involved.
Send out a press release to your local media giving details of
whom to contact and how people can get involved.
Involve children in your efforts. They may also wish to 'adopt
a spot' and enter the Greenfingers Challenge which also gives them
an opportunity to win £1,500.
Once you have gathered support, work towards brightening up your
local environment, tackle local 'grot spots', carry out work on
behalf of older people and old people's homes, consider organising
your own competitions for businesses, neighbourhoods and schools
- a spot of healthy rivalry will generate better results. Leave
no stone unturned!
It's not all about flowers
Of course horticultural excellence is important, however, issues
relating to environmental quality and sustainability are also high
on the agenda. Set up community clean-up projects to focus on areas
which attract litter and graffiti, promote sustainable gardening,
for example, by encouraging people to plant shrubs that do not need
to be watered daily, involve groups in the creation and understanding
of wild flowers/life, for example, find an area which can be used
for nature conservation projects, monitoring, education and work
programmes.
Sponsorship and funding
To help you succeed in your efforts you will need to generate funding
by either arranging fund-raising events (e.g. car boot sales, auctions,
jumble sales) or by attracting sponsorship/ benefits in kind from
local businesses.
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