Bloom town

It was last September that Gazette Newspapers first floated the idea of the town taking part in the annual contest as part of the Basingstoke - A Place To Be Proud Of campaign.

The idea won the backing of many people, including Basingstoke MP Maria Miller, Borough Council leader Councillor Paul Harvey and borough mayor Councillor Paula Baker.

Since last autumn, a committee featuring representatives from Gazette Newspapers, Festival Place, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Basingstoke Town Centre Management and BCOT, has been finding out more about what it takes to put a winning entry together, and has been drawing up an action plan to meet the judging criteria.

Each entry is judged on five aspects:

floral displays

permanent landscaping and shrubs

Local Agenda 21 and sustainable development

local environmental quality

public awareness

The importance of the environmental aspects of the Bloom entry have been emphasised in the judging pack and are reflected in the number of points allocated to each section.

Peter Holman, chairman of South & South East in Bloom, said: "This year is going to be a challenging year for us all as we experience the worst drought in many years.

"However, we at South & South East in Bloom are taking our responsibilities seriously and have been working with many entries, the Royal Horticultural Society and our sponsors since before Christmas to ensure we all respond to the situation by adapting our planting schemes or modifying maintenance regimes to effect reductions in water usage and thereby make a positive contribution to the drought."

There is still much work to be done on the Basingstoke entry - but everyone can play a part in helping it to succeed.

Community awareness of the finer points of the town will assist the Basingstoke entry, and, to this end, Gazette Newspapers has launched a competition for amateur photographers called "Beautiful Basingstoke".

Over the next few weeks, we want readers to send in photographs that they feel capture Basingstoke in all its glory - and there will be prizes for the best entries.

Entries to our photographic competition should be submitted as either hard copy pictures or on e-mail, and the winning entries are likely to play a part in Basingstoke's South & South East in Bloom presentation to the judges.

Gazette Newspapers editor Mark Jones, who is one of the Basingstoke South & South East in Bloom committee members, said: "The committee hopes that local residents will enter into the spirit of this competition as the support of residents of all ages is crucial in ensuring that Basingstoke submits an impressive entry.

"Doing well in South & South East in Bloom would raise Basingstoke's profile as a place to be proud of."

If you want to take part in the Beautiful Basingstoke photographic competition, send your printed entries in to Beautiful Basingstoke, The Editor, Gazette Newspapers, Gazette House, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD, or e-mail your pictures to Gazette picture editor Jason Allen at jason.allen@basingstokegazette.co.uk

All entries need to be submitted by Friday, May 26. Normal Gazette Newspapers rules apply and the judges' decision is final. Entries cannot be returned to the sender and may be used as part of the South & South East in Bloom entry for Basingstoke.

First published: April 26, 2006