Stansted Mountfitchet has, for the second year in a row, picked up a Silver Gilt award for its entry into the 2024 Anglia in Bloom competition.
Judges of the prestigious garden competition, in awarding the prize, recognised Stansted as “a vibrant community with a strong cultural and historical heritage.”
The awards ceremony was held last Friday in Thetford, Norfolk and was attended by over 150 attendees.
The allotments at Elms Farm and Human Roots initiative there, the TouchPoint Garden, and commercial area of the Lower Street commercial area as well as St Mary’s Church were all identified as highlights, where strong community involvement was particularly evident in Stansted.
Other spots singled out for praise included the Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve – a” wildlife haven” – and the windmill, which was described by judges as a “fantastic focal point for heritage”.
Gold for the Social Club
Stansted Social Club scooped a very well-deserved Gold Award in the Pubs and Restaurant category.
“This is a fitting reward for Kirsten Kirsey and her team, who are responsible for the fantastic floral display outside the club” says Trevor Lloyd, who attended the ceremony on Friday in Thetford, Norfolk.
Mr Lloyd is an organiser for Stansted’s entry into the Anglia in Bloom competition. He was particularly pleased St Mary’s earned a silver award in the event’s churchyard category. “Lynda Dale and her team of helpers work incredibly hard to keep the church yard in good order and deserve great praise for their efforts,” he adds.
Another winning village organisation was Human Roots. They received a special awards nomination in the Best Grow Your Own project category. This was in recognition of the excellent work the group do at their Elms Farm Community allotment.
Dedication pays off
Parish Councillor Alan Barnes, who assisted in putting the village entry together, also attended the awards along with members of Stansted community groups. “Although disappointed to not get all golds, everyone was happy that they maintained last year’s standard,” he says.
Anglia in Bloom has considerable pedigree as a garden competition and forms a part of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britian in Bloom event. Communities are encouraged to enter from across the six counties of the Anglia region – Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk.
AiB was set up to help people get the best out of the village, town or city in which they live, both environmentally and florally. Stansted was included in the town’s category, which was won by Brandon. The overall best entry ward went to Huntingdon.
Standards can be high, and the number of competitors in certain fields meant only those nominated were sent through for judging and received mentions.
“There was some confusion as to what categories organisations had been entered,” said Cllr Barnes. “We suspected they had changed since last year. However everyone enjoyed the day.”
With AiB over for another year, attention will turn to exploring how the village can do even better in 2025.
“It may be time to enlarge the organising committee to encompass some of the regular entering groups,” explains Cllr Barnes. “They would benefit by understanding more about the award structure and you may get new ideas from the people involved.”