The Island’s most populated parish won gold in the Large Town category and category winners award and St Brelade won silver gilt in the Coastal category.
There was a special award, too, for St Helier parishioner Graham Bouchard, who was named community champion for his volunteer work for many years at Queen’s Road Court.
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said: ‘Our team at the Municipal Services department will be proud of our achievement, seeing off stiff competition from places like Durham and Knaresborough in Yorkshire, both of which also won gold awards, and the other three large towns in our group.
Our staff and volunteers have worked all year round to keep the parish looking its best for residents and visitors.’
St Brelade Constable Steve Pallet added: ‘I am really pleased for co-ordinator Jeff Hathaway and his team for their outstanding achievement.
‘We were praised for our horticultural displays and our community involvement.’
The awards ceremony was hosted on Friday night by Sunderland City Council, who offered attendees from more than 70 villages, towns and cities a tour of the town centre, Sunderland Football Club’s City of Light Stadium and the Glass Centre.
St Brelade were pipped to the post in the Coastal category by Guernsey’s St Pierre Le Bois.
Jennifer Ellenger, of Visit Jersey, who accompanied the group said: ‘The outstanding achievements of teams across both Channel Islands cannot be underestimated.
They not only raise our profile as a visitor destination, but also reinforce our green credentials and contribute to the stunning floral and natural beauty of the islands, which are key contributing factors in visitor satisfaction.’
Mr Hathaway, who was also part of the group attending the awards, together with town centre manager Daphne East, said it had been a ‘tiring but rewarding’ two days.
‘I think it’s brilliant for Jersey,’ he added.
- More than 1,600 cities, towns, villages and urban communities take part each year to show off their achievements in environmental responsibility, community participation and horticultural achievement.
- The campaign runs all year round.
- Participating groups report a wide range of benefits such as cleaner, greener and safer surroundings, a growing sense of community pride, and increased commercial enterprise and tourism.
- Communities of all sizes can take part, from small villages to large cities. Some groups are entirely run by volunteers and some work in partnership with their local council.
- Every summer participants are assessed for efforts in three key areas: Horticultural achievement; Community participation; and Environmental responsibility.
- Groups start by taking part in their Region/Nation campaign. Those that do well at this level may then be selected to take part in the UK Finals, which are organised by the RHS.
- From the 1,600 communities that take part in the regional campaigns, around 80 are selected to go into the annual UK Finals – RHS Britain in Bloom.
Find out more about Britain in Bloom here
