CERTIFICATES were presented to all those involved in this year’s successful Tavistock in Bloom competition, which saw the town win a gold award, silver gilt and several special commendations.

Tavistock once again fared well in the South West in Bloom competition, part of the national Britain in Bloom event, having entered in the Sargent Cup for small towns and won silver gilt.

Tavistock BID team entered the BID awards for its hanging baskets, with the theme of the Queen’s 90th birthday, and won gold.

The Rose Walk, Plymouth Road Cemetery and St Eustachius’ Church all received special commendations in the ‘In Your Neighbourhood’ awards.

Jacqui Orange, town council works administrator, said: ‘We’re really happy with the awards. We have had lots of volunteer input and we have to acknowledge the town council staff who have been out watering and feeding the plants once a week throughout the summer. We also have to thank Sarah Cooper from Rising Sun Nurseries in Harrowbarrow who worked with us to provide the plants for over 170 hanging baskets. The judges were really impressed with Tasty Tavi’s pop up allotments such as the edible cottage gardens in the centre of town.

‘Next year our theme is going to be heritage so we will be looking at incorporating the colours of copper, arsenic and tin and build on the Man Engine and the World Heritage Site. We are learning year on year by listening to the judges’ feedback on what we can improve. Next year we are going to go for gold.’

Tavistock Mayor Cllr Mandy Ewings said: ‘Tavistock in Bloom brings people together in a feel good way. People come into the town and see the hanging baskets and all the wonderful planting and it has a real feel good factor. People always say how lovely the town looks. This year especially the co-ordination of the colours were very good.’

Alex Mead, local co-ordinator for Tavistock in Bloom, said: ‘For a very small band of volunteers I think we have done really well. We’re very pleased to have the feedback from the judges to work on for next year.’

BID chairman Robin Rich said the BID team was very pleased with the gold award.

He said: ‘It is fantastic. This is what we’ve been aiming for since we started. BID manager Lisa Piper has been the driving force and without her we wouldn’t be in the position to win anything. There is so much more we can do in the town and hopefully we will get gold again next year and the year after — it is a town effort. The judges are tough so to win gold is a great achievement and Tavistock should be very proud.’

Picture by James Bird