Celebrations were underway in Highbridge on Thursday (September 20th) after the town won a sought-after Silver Gilt award at the annual Britain In Bloom prize ceremony.
The team from Highbridge In Bloom joined hundreds of representatives from towns across the south west in Weston’s Winter Gardens for the special ceremony where the news was announced.
Highbridge’s team – consisting of Phil and Pam Lyes, Joyce Curtis, Bill Fisher and Ray Reddish – were celebrating after scooping a Silver Gilt award in the Ayre Cup category.
Highbridge also won seven neighbourhood awards as the judges praised the quality of the town.
Burnham’s Marine Cove Gardens were also praised by the judges, who awarded the facilities an ‘outstanding’ neighbourhood award.
Highbridge In Bloom’s Pam Lyes told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “It’s wonderful that Highbridge has retained its Silver Gilt award and that all the hard word by the community has paid off.”
She thanked all those who helped with the work to prepare the town for this year’s judging, who included Highbridge Dreamscheme, Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, Sedgemoor District Council and Groves Xtreme Clean, which helped without charge.
Burnham and Highbridge Mayor Ken Smout, who attended Thursday’s awards, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I was proud to be representing the two towns and was delighted that the flowers and the community were recognised. It just shows what can be done when people work together.”
Burnham did not enter as a town this year due to issues with lamp posts along the High Street preventing flower baskets from being hung, as we reported here.
Pictured: Top, the Highbridge In Bloom team with Sedgemoor District Council workers and, above, the former Mayor and Mayoress at a seed planting session besides Highbridge’s Walrow roundabout
