Hillsborough pick up two awards at Britain in Bloom- including Gold in Large Village section

Hillsborough, which represented Ulster, was one of only six areas from across the UK chosen to compete in the Large Village category of the awards. Hillsborough’s medal, the highest available, confirms its position as one of the greenest and most beautiful large villages in the United Kingdom.

As well as winning a Gold medal and the large village category, the village won the ‘Heritage Award’. This is presented to the finalist that best demonstrated outstanding commitment to the ongoing care and development of their local heritage.

Speaking about the award, James Baird, Chairman of Hillsborough in Bloom said: “It is an honour for Hillsborough Village to be chosen out of the thousands of very worthy entries in the prestigious RHS Britain in Bloom Awards, and to achieve this fantastic award.

“This is very much a team effort and congratulations must go to the Operational Services Unit within the Council, particularly to the gardening teams, and to the fantastic community support in Hillsborough Village, which makes all the difference. We are delighted with the result and will continue to provide the best floral displays we can in Hillsborough and the wider Council area.”

The RHS Britain in Bloom Awards ceremony celebrates the huge contribution made by the 300,000 Bloom volunteers whose hard work and dedication help transform what are often grey and unloved areas into greener, cleaner and more beautiful spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Over the summer, teams of RHS judges travelled the length and breadth of the country to see the 72 finalists’ Bloom campaigns to determine who would lift the top prizes. Each finalist was assessed against three key criteria: community participation, environmental responsibility and of course, horticultural achievement.

Offering his congratulations, local MLA Edwin Poots told the Star that this award is recognition for the hard work carried out by those in the community and council.

He said: “Hillsborough has a tremendous reputation in this competition and once again they have reached the gold standard.

“This huge credit to all involved both in the community and the council staff who work so diligently to ensure that Hillsborough is such a beautiful village.”