All smiles at Portsmouth in Bloom awards night

Bright flowers, colourful grounds and horticultural havens were celebrated at Portsmouth in Bloom.
Portsmouth in Bloom winners at the awards nightPortsmouth in Bloom winners at the awards night
Portsmouth in Bloom winners at the awards night

The ceremony, held this week in the Victory Suite at Fratton Park, saw prizes given to schools, businesses, organisations and residents who have made their outdoor areas look beautiful.

The annual event, sponsored by Colas and Portsmouth Water, includes 12 categories ranging from the best front garden to schools growing their own vegetables.

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The ceremony was opened by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor David Fuller, who thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

He said: ‘It was very, very good.

‘There were some fantastic winners and it is always great to see such a variety of entries.

‘I enjoyed it a lot and the winners should be very proud.’

Portsmouth in Bloom aims to increase well-being and biodiversity and is run by volunteers with the support of Portsmouth City Council.

It encourages people to be green and think about ways they can help brighten up the city.

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It gives bronze, silver and gold medals following tough judging from a panel of experts.

Louise Moreton, from Portsmouth in Bloom, said the event was a huge success.

‘Everyone seemed to have a good time and it was well attended.

‘All the winners were very proud of their achievements and I think it recognised how much effort had been put in.

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‘The sustainability element was raised this year and there was a lot of hard work put in by the groups.’

Louise praised the team at Fratton Park for their work on decorating the venue.

She added: ‘The room looked outstanding, it was stunning.

‘It just summed up the community effort and that it was an “in bloom” ceremony.’

Admiral Lord Nelson School won gold twice at the event. It won the School Decorated with Flowers (senior) and Eat My School (senior).

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Volunteer gardener Andrew Beecher, who runs the school’s gardening club, said: ‘It was wonderful for us to win.

‘It reflects well on the children who put in a lot of hard work.

‘It was nice to see them awarded these honours.

‘Although we were hopeful we might win, it was still a nice surprise.’

The school’s gardening club grows flowers in a courtyard garden and tends a wildflower garden. Members also grow a range of vegetables used by the food technology classes.

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Mr Beecher added: ‘Having the gardening club is a great addition to the school.

‘Winning at Portsmouth in Bloom shows that the effort we put in does pay off.

‘We like to brighten up the school with the flowers we grow and it gives students an outlet from their daily school life.’

Louise agreed. She said gardening is therapeutic and wants to encourage more organisations to get involved for its benefits.

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‘It is absolutely vital for groups to continue their hard work and get new organisations involved,’ she said.

‘Horticultural work is very therapeutic.’

Other gold winners on the night include Highbury School, in Cosham.

It came top in the School Decorated with Flowers (nursery, infant and junior).

Sarah Fuller, from the school, said: ‘We joined in with Portsmouth in Bloom because it is a great opportunity for the school to get involved in.

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‘There was a whole-school approach to it and when we announced that we won, the students were so happy.

‘As a school we were excited and proud of the children and all their hard work.

‘We were so delighted to be chosen out of everyone.

‘Considering it was a Portsmouth-wide competition, for us to win gold was amazing – we were ecstatic.’

The school does a lot of horticultural work from holding an eco-council to having a foraging group.

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Sarah adds: ‘Even the students who are not in the gardening club want to help out. Everyone likes to get involved.’

THE WINNERS

School Decorated With Flowers

Nursery/Infant/Junior

Presented by Councillor David Fuller, Lord Mayor of Portsmouth

Bronze Meon Junior School

Silver Langstone Infant School

Silver Gilt Cottage Grove Primary School

Gold Highbury Primary School

School Decorated With Flowers Senior

Presented by Councillor David Fuller, Lord Mayor of Portsmouth

Bronze Portsmouth Grammar School

Silver The Harbour School @ Fratton

Silver Gilt The Harbour School @ Milton

Gold Admiral Lord Nelson School

Eat My School Nursery

Presented by the Lady Mayoress Leza Tremorin

Silver Portsmouth Grammar School (Nursery and Reception)

Gold Leapfrog Nursery School

Eat My School Infant/Junior

Presented by the Lady Mayoress Leza Tremorin

Bronze Meon Junior School

Silver - joint Fernhurst Junior School

Silver - joint The Flying Bull Academy

Silver Gilt- joint Langstone Infant School

Silver Gilt- joint Highbury Primary School

Gold Wimborne Junior School

Eat My School Senior

Presented by Lady Mayoress Leza Tremorin

Bronze Priory School

Silver The Harbour School @ Fratton

Silver Gilt The Harbour School @ Milton

Gold Admiral Lord Nelson School

Grow to Eat

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Presented by Goff Gleadle, Portsmouth in Bloom 2016 Head Judge

Bronze Somerstown Community Garden

Silver Sue Pike

Gold Stacey Community Centre

Allotment

Presented by Paul Miles, Portmouth City Council Parks Department

Bronze Steve & Jane Curtis

Silver Steven Drury

Silver Gilt Trevor Witcher

Gold Mo & Kelly Ottesen

Community

Presented by Sue Stokes, Founder of Southsea Greenhouse

Bronze Eastney Community Centre

Silver Cunningham & Keyes Courts

Silver Gilt Cosham Baptist Church

Silver Gilt Perth House

Gold Festing Road

Sustainable

Presented by Ian Limb, Portsmouth Water, major sponsor of PIB

Bronze Art Space Portsmouth

Silver Tracey Read

Silver Gilt Mother Shipton

Gold Stacey Community Centre

Water Awards

Sponsored by Portsmouth Water (10 x £50 awards given for the best water use, judged across all categories)

Presented by Ian Limb, Portsmouth Water

Lyn Payne

The Mother Shipton

Stacey Community Centre

David Winston Horler

The Barley Mow

Sally Hall

Wimborne Junior School

Art Space Portsmouth

The Flying Bull Academy

Martin James Ryan

Business

Presented by Linzi Stean, Colas, major sponsor of PIB

Bronze The Barley Mow Pub, Castle Road, Southsea

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Bronze Portsmouth Register Office, Mildam House, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth

Silver Samphire Restaurant, Kent Road, Southsea

Silver Gilt Mother Shipton, Twyford Avenue, Stamshaw, Portsmouth

Silver Gilt The Phoenix, Duncan Road, Southsea

Gold The White Horse, Southsea Terrace, Southsea

Shelter & Care Homes

Presented by Linzi Stean, Colas, major sponsor of PIB

Bronze Avocet House

Silver Cornwell Court

Silver Gilt Homesea House

Gold St Ronans nursing and residential care home

Balcony/Courtyard Gardens - Residential

Presented by Lorien Loten, a PIB judge who runs a local gardening company, Garden Angel.

Bronze Pete & Julie Gover

Silver Lyn Payne

Silver Gilt Diane Benford

Silver Gilt Wendy Grant

Gold David Winston Horler

Balcony/Courtyard -

Commercial

Presented by Lorien Loten

Bronze Charles Clark House

Silver Gilt The Barley Mow

Gold The Phoenix

Hanging and Wall -

Residential

Presented by Clare Martin, Pompey in the Community sponsor

Bronze David Winston Horler

Silver Mrs Mary Saunders

Silver Gilt Lynn Wells

Silver Gilt Martin James Ryan

Gold - joint Leslie Carstairs

Gold - joint Philip Wicker

Hanging and Wall -

Commercial

Presented by Clare Martin, Pompey in the Community sponsor

Bronze The Mother Shipton

Silver The White Horse

Gold Samphire Restaurant

Front Garden

Presented by Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Councillor David Fuller and Lady Mayoress Leza Tremorin

Bronze Mrs Mary Saunders

Silver Sally Hall

Silver Philip Wicker

Silver Gilt Leslie Carstairs

Gold Richard Craddock

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