Britain in Bloom Gold award for Uppingham
Green-fingered volunteers are celebrating their town winning Gold in the Britain in Bloom finals.
Uppingham, the East Midlands regional Gold award winner in the small town category, received its latest accolade at the RHS Britain in Bloom ceremony in Brighton over the weekend.
Sarah Medley, who chairs Uppingham in Bloom, said they hadn’t expected to be a Britain in Bloom Gold winner this year, despite having had a run of top awards for the past decade.
“The weather has been unpredictable, and so when the East Midlands in Bloom judges visited Uppingham in July, it was roasting hot and sunny, and then, when the Britain in Bloom team came in August it was windy, grey and quite cool,” she said.
“They were impressed by our community involvement and the support we gain, such as from the litter pickers, and from the town council and other sponsors.
“They were also impressed by our allotments, the arboretum, our tree canopy and environment, as well as the map designed by local artist Helen Chadband, with a trail linking features people could see in Uppingham.”
But it is the team of about 20 Uppingham in Bloom volunteers who can take the credit for much of what caught the judges’ attention.
Whether growing from seed, popping in bulbs and plug plants, or nurturing perennials in their gardens and allotments ready to transfer to public display, they put in nearly 1,000 hours of volunteering between then in 2025, and battled through a long dry spring/summer armed with watering cans and horticultural knowhow.
They are also efficient fundraisers, holding a variety of events throughout the year to support what they do.
Uppingham in Bloom, now in its fifth decade, was represented at the awards ceremony by volunteers Mike Thornhill and Keith Dunne.
Sarah Galvin from the RHS, said: “We were highly impressed with the standard of entries this year, with all of the finalists having such a positive impact on their local communities.
“Each group showcased exceptional community spirit and a strong commitment to enhancing their local environment, demonstrating the core values of community, sustainability, and horticulture at the heart of the RHS Britain in Bloom competition.”