PLANS for Tavistock’s entry to Britain in Bloom 2017 are already under way, despite the town on tenterhooks awaiting the results of this year’s competition due to be announced at the beginning of October, and the community is being invited to get involved.

For the past four years, the Tavistock in Bloom team — Tavistock Town Council, Tavistock BID and Tasty Tavy — have been toiling to make the town even more attractive.

A spokesperson for the team said: ‘The hanging baskets have proliferated through the town centre, making a splash of colour that has been better than ever this year; the edible cottage garden has brought delight to many and turned the barren area next to the former site of the Old Folks’ Rest Room into an oasis, the pop up allotment and Pimms bed by the canal have been admired and the produce used. Hopes are high for a good result in the judging on October 6.’

Plans are being discussed for Tavistock’s entry to Britain in Bloom for 2017 already. Organisers are aware that the Royal Horticultural Society’s judges will look for improvements and developments. To carry out some of the team’s ambitious plans, it needs support from the community.

The spokesperson said: ‘We are not just looking for people with an interest in gardening, although we would welcome those with delight. There are a range of skills that the organisation needs — computer literacy, administrative backup, fundraisers, photographers, press cutting organisers, artists, groups of keen neighbours who would like to enter their gardens for an In Your Neighbourhood Award — the list is endless because the competition is about more than just gardening, there are a range of criteria on which the town is judged. Our team needs to grow as fast as our plants.’

The team is holding an open meeting on Monday, September 26 between 6pm and 9pm at Local Matters in Elbow Lane (formerly the Job Centre).

There will be displays of what has been achieved so far and outline plans for the future in more detail. The team is open to ideas to enrich the 2017 entry, to make it the ‘best ever’.

For more details contact Alex on 07886 772460 or email [email protected]