District triumphs at East Midlands in Bloom Awards

Newark won the ‘Least Litter in the East Midlands’ award as well as the runner-up in the large town category being awarded a Silver Gilt. Judges said they didn’t see “one piece of litter on their tour”, which is an incredible achievement.

Judges commented to say ‘Litter picking is outstanding’ across the town’s three parks with Green Flag awards. They also praised the support of Historic Newark in Bloom volunteers in making green spaces more vibrant and highlighted involvement with local schools, collaborative work with Newark and Sherwood District Council and Newark Town Council and community engagement at work with local businesses.

Two Silver Gilt awards were also given to Collingham and Edwinstowe in the Large Village and Small Town category rounding off a trio of winners in the district.

Other winners included:

• Best Hotel/Pub - Swan and Salmon: Bronze award
• Best Retail/commercial - Inizio/Not my Monkey: Bronze award 
• East Midlands in Bloom Committee Award for management - Hawton Halt within Sconce and Devon Park 
• Judges Award:  Volunteers at Newark Castle Station

Councillor Simon Forde, Portfolio Holder for Climate and the Environment, said: “We’re proud of our green spaces and it’s rewarding to know the hard work of local volunteers and our amazing officers is greatly appreciated. I particularly love the planters done by volunteers on Newark Castle station.

“We’ve put a real focus on making our parks and spaces as clean as they can be and this is all down to fantastic collaborative working across the district. Congratulations to the award winners and thank you to the teams at Newark and Sherwood District Council and to all the volunteers across the district for keeping our communities among the cleanest and tidiest in the East Midlands!”

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Community Relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council said: "Winning the ‘Least Litter in the East Midlands’ award is a fantastic achievement and a real reflection of the pride our communities take in their surroundings. For judges to say they didn’t see a single piece of litter during their visit is remarkable and speaks volumes about the dedication of our cleansing teams, the tireless work of volunteers, and the commitment of local residents. It’s clear that when we all work together, across council services, community groups and local businesses, we can achieve truly outstanding results. I want to thank everyone involved for helping to make Newark and Sherwood one of the cleanest and most welcoming districts in the region."

Kay Bellhouse, Chair of Historic Newark in Bloom, said: “As Chair of Historic Newark in Bloom I am so grateful and proud of this year’s collaboration of local businesses, Newark Town Council, Newark and Sherwood District Council and road crew together with our fabulous volunteer groups in town to achieve Silver Gilt in the East Midlands in Bloom Tour and the “least litter” award for Newark.  Working together we can achieve so much and have pride in our community.   Please volunteer your time, pick up a piece of litter, plant a flower, donate some seeds, keep the front of your house weed-free - together we can all make a huge difference!” 

More information on all award winners across all categories can be found here: https://emib.org.uk/results/