Tamworth in Bloom judging route is revealed

A year of hard work, planning and planting will soon reach its climax when the Heart of England in Bloom judges take a tour of the borough on Tuesday July 16.

Residents are being encouraged to get involved with making the whole of Tamworth look beautiful to help the borough take gold for the tenth year running, in the regional Heart of England in Bloom campaign.

The two judges – Nicola Clarke and Roger Tait - will be taken around Tamworth, where they will be shown some of the many fabulous floral displays and community projects which make up this year’s Tamworth in Bloom entry, on the theme ‘Blooming Tamworth’ – More than just flowers.

This year’s campaign theme will celebrate everything that is great about Tamworth including its community, events and heritage, reflecting some of these in the Tamworth in Bloom flowers and events.

For example, this year marks the 130th anniversary of the original opening of the Assembly Rooms, which was built to mark the jubilee of Queen Victoria, and the 200th anniversary of Victoria’s birth. To honour this heritage, some special events are planned including an evening bandstand concert of ‘Music Under the Stars’, with a homage to the artists which have trod the boards at the Assembly Rooms over the years.

Continuing with honouring our heritage and celebrating Queen Victoria, the bandstand will host a celebration taking place on judging day, where every group that has supported Blooming Tamworth will be invited to bring a picnic, grab a seat and enjoy an afternoon of free music by Amington Band.

The judging tour will begin with a welcome from the Mayor of Tamworth, Richard Kingstone, and a short presentation at Tamworth Castle. The judges, along with the organisers of the Tamworth in Bloom campaign, will then take a short walk to St Editha’s Square, revealing the new home of the WW1 soldier in the War Memorial, followed by a walk by the public realm works and the Assembly Rooms.

The judging party will then be driven in a council Street Scene vehicle onto Holloway, along Lichfield Street to the Moor Street island, where they will get a view of the impressive floral tributes and the Wind in the Willows boat display.

The group will then travel to Rawlett Community College in a limo, kindly donated for the day by sponsors – EF, to meet teachers and pupils, before heading to Wigginton Cemetery to see the new cross structure and drive past the allotments.

The limo will then drive the judges passed the Railway Station and Aethelflaed statue, before arriving at Bright Crescent Sheltered Scheme where they will be greeted by residents and representatives from community services for light refreshments.

The tour will then head to Belgrave Community Allotments, where the judges will meet volunteers from the community allotments and see the new potting shed.

The judging party will then head to Dosthill Park for a quick stop to see the new Wind in the Willows sculptures and meet the Friends of Dosthill Park. Then the limo will drive passed the boat roundabout and head to Tameside Local Nature Reserve to meet the LNR volunteers and see the re-profiling and new nature works.

The tour will then take in Ventura Park and Riverdrive, where the judges will be dropped off at the gates to the Castle Grounds.

In the Castle Grounds, judges will take in the wisteria garden, rose garden, new wildflower walks and floral terrace; the sensory garden, the stunning raised flower beds beneath the bandstand and the newly-refurbished Saxon Man and Torch Man. The group will be able to see the work taking place on the new toilet block, before enjoying the bandstand entertainment by Amington Band and the local community stalls.

The final stop will be lunch at Tamworth Rugby Club and a visit to Wigginton Park for the Heart of England ‘Open Spaces’ campaign judging, before heading back to Tamworth Brewery to sample this year’s ‘Bloomin Ale’.

Cllr John Chesworth, Cabinet member for Culture and Operational Services, said: “We are really looking forward to showing the judges the result of all the hard work which has been carried out, not only by our Street Scene staff, but also the many community and voluntary organisations and businesses.

“But it’s not just about the floral displays and what’s happening on the route – we hope that people will get involved again across Tamworth to make sure that the whole borough is blooming and get involved with the community events that are being organised.

“The community and our staff are all working exceptionally hard to portray Tamworth at its best and we hope that the judges will be impressed enough to award the town gold for the tenth year running.”

Don’t forget we have our resident garden competition running during the ‘in Bloom’ campaign. The closing date for entries is 12 noon on Wednesday, July 31st. To enter just take a picture of your garden and either email it to Garden Competition at graphics@tamworth.gov.uk or drop a copy in to reception at Marmion House in Lichfield Street.