FARNHAM has scooped a Silver Gilt award in the Large Town category at the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom UK Finals Awards Ceremony in Birmingham.

Farnham, which represented the south and southeast regions, was one of only 10 areas from across the UK chosen to compete in the Large Town category of the awards.

It’s medal, the second highest available, confirms its position as one of the greenest and most beautiful large towns in the country.

Speaking about the award, the Mayor of Farnham, John Ward, said: “We are so proud to have won this award.

“Farnham in Bloom is very much a community effort and so we see this as collective recognition for all the hard work put in by our community groups, and many individuals and sponsors, including our corporate sponsor BBS Ltd, to improve Farnham’s environment.”

Town councillor Stephen Hill said: “The In Bloom campaign has been very positive for Farnham with a whole series of initiatives including over 30 regular litter pickers and workshops for children.

“Every year we see more and more people getting involved in Farnham in Bloom and this year has been no exception with some 12,500 volunteer hours and £20,000 of sponsorship and in-kind support from over 80 local businesses.”

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.

The chairman of the UK Judging Panel, Roger Burnett, said: “This has been a truly outstanding year for Britain in Bloom with local communities devoting tremendous amounts of time and effort into greening grey areas and sharing the many health and social benefits of horticulture.

“The judges were very impressed by the way communities refused to let the many challenges they faced hold them back. The finalists’ desire and determination to make their environment as green and pleasant as possible was truly humbling.

“We as judges are privileged to have a front row seat to see Britain in Bloom volunteers change the lives of thousands through their work. And it’s fitting that their efforts are recognised and celebrated.”