Scores of residents were presented with awards when the annual Burnham In Bloom awards ceremony was held on Thursday evening (November 14th).
Dozens of residents and business owners gathered in the Town Council Chambers where trophies and certificates were presented by Burnham’s Mayor Cllr Sharon Perry to those who brightened up the town with floral displays and artwork over the summer.
The Mayor and Burnham In Bloom Dave Perrett, Jo Brown and Richard Young (pictured above) were presented with the South West In Bloom silver gilt award, which was recently announced for Burnham, as we reported here. The Britain In Bloom judges visited Burnham-On-Sea in July.
Cllr Perry thanked those all who had taken part in the Burnham In Bloom competition and all the volunteers from the council’s growing group who had worked hard to ensure the displays were in place despite financial cutbacks by Somerset Council.
The Mayor also thanked Dave, Jo and Richard for all their hard work, congratulating those who won and adding that it was great to see so many local people getting involved.
Dave Perrett announced that after 43 years of running the group, it would not be continuing in its current format, however he hoped that the competition and trophies would continue.
Dave Perrett also praised the competitors and thanked them all for supporting the event and gave warm support to the growing group volunteers for all their help this year, awarding them the Chairman’s Decanter, below.
Full winners of Burnham In Bloom Awards 2024:
Category A – Group of Houses
- 2,3,4&6 Sunnylawn, Burnham on Sea (Sue Picton 2, Dave & Gill Houlden 3, Gail Cruickshank 4, Evelyn Rouse 6)
- 23-25 Beatty Way, Burnham on Sea
Category B – Hanging Baskets
1 Mr S. Bennett, Flat 2, Beaufort Court, Burnham on Sea
- Mrs M. Moore, 77 Worston Lane, Burnham on Sea
3= Mrs V. Watts, 16 Kiln Drive, Highbridge
3= Mrs D. Ashfold, 1 Manor Drive, Berrow
Category C – Balcony
- Mr & Mrs N. Tolley, 1C Lynton Road, Burnham on Sea
Category D – Window Boxes
1 Mrs V. Watts, 16 Kiln Drive, Highbridge.
- Mrs P. Wing & Mrs J. Harvey, 21 Pembroke Close, Burnham on Sea
3 Mrs J. Faulks, 14 Isleport Lane, Highbridge
Category E- Containers
1 Mr P. Hockin, 100 Marine Drive, Burnham on Sea
2 Mrs V. Watts, 16 Kiln Drive, Highbridge
3 Miss B.F.H. Waycott, 14 Thorndike Way, Burnham on Sea
Category F – Unusual Containers
1 Frankie Faulks,14 Isleport Lane, Highbridge (Flower Pot Family)
2 Mrs V. Watts, 16 Kiln Drive, Highbridge (Raised Pram on base of flowers)
3 Mr P. Hockin, 100 Marine Drive, Burnham on Sea (Leprechaun violinist in flowers)
Category G – Front Gardens
1 Mrs P. Wing & Mrs J. Harvey, 21 Pembroke Close, Burnham on Sea
2 Mr P. Hockin, 100 Marine Drive, Burnham on Sea
3= Mrs V. Watts, 16 Kiln Drive, Highbridge
3= Mrs D. Ashfold, 1 Manor Drive, Berrow
Category H – Hanging Baskets (Commercial)
1 Sherwood Guest House, 42 Berrow Road, Burnham on Sea
2 Beaufort Park, 7 Rectory Road, Burnham on Sea
3 G.H. Tyres, Adam Street, Burnham on Sea
Category I – Best Overall (Commercial)
1 Beaufort Park, 7 Rectory Road, Burnham on Sea
2 Retreat Caravan Park, Berrow Road, Burnham on Sea
3 G.H. Tyres, Adam Street, Burnham on Sea
Category K – Shop Windows
1 RNLI Charity Shop, High Street, Burnham on Sea
Category L – Holiday Villages
1 Retreat Caravan Park, Berrow Road, Burnham on Sea
2 Haven Holiday Village, Marine Drive, Burnham on Sea.
Category N – Residential & Nursing Homes
1 Beaufort Park, Rectory Road, Burnham on Sea
2 Kathleen Chambers House, 97 Berrow Road, Burnham on Sea
- Abbeyfield Society, 15 Berrow Road, Burnham on Sea
Category O – Public Houses
1 Dunstan House, Love Lane, Burnham on Sea
2 Railway Inn, High Street, Burnham on Sea
3 The Lighthouse Inn, Highbridge Road, Burnham on Sea
Category P – Garages
1 G.H. Tyres, 31-35 Adam Street, Burnham on Sea
Category Q – Guest Houses
1 Sherwood Guest House, 42 Berrow Road, Burnham on Sea
Category R – Cafes
1 May’s Café, 1 Abingdon Street, Burnham on Sea
2 Fortes, Pier Street, Burnham on Sea
Chairman’s Shield (most points) – Mrs Vera Watts
Mayor’s Decanter – Burnham & Highbridge in Bloom Community Working Group
Mayor’s Cup – St Andrew’s School Gardening Club
Public Buildings – St Andrew’s School
School Painting Competitions
6 years and under
1 Vanessa Stefan, 2. Taya Oran, 3. Carla Doleanu all age 6 from Burnham Infants School
7 to 9 years
1 Gabrielle Gray age 7 from St Andrews, 2. Oliver Pazdziorko age 7 from St Joseph’s School, 3. Theo Payne age 7 from St Andrew’s School.
10 years and over
1 Freddie Faulks age 10 from Brent Knoll School, 2 Emily Burt age 10 from St Joseph’s School, 3. Karenza Byrne age 11 from Berrow School
Mayor’s comments at event:
Cllr Sharon Perry said: “This is a great occasion to recognise the hard work and creativity that has taken place in private gardens, schools, care homes, businesses and public open spaces in Burnham over the past year. You will all know the powerful and positive effects that gardening and cultivating has on improving both our physical environment and our mental health and well-being. Being outside, immersed in nature, restores our soul and, when it is also undertaken with others, makes us feel like we belong and that we are part of a community. Added to this, you are creating an environment that is a feast for the eyes and, in many cases, also enhances the natural environment for wildlife.
“I was pleased to be invited by Dave and Jo to attend the presentation of the South West in Bloom awards at the beginning of October. The award of a Silver Gilt was, I think, a great achievement, given the challenges we faced in March this year, when we learnt that the Unitary Authority would not be able to provide the usual floral displays in Burnham. Thanks to the efforts of Dave and members of the Growing Group, and with funds from the Town Council, we were able to create some wonderful displays along the Esplanade of sustainable, coastal plants, which the In Bloom judges said were well considered and would provide all-year round interest. Thank you to all the members of the Growing Group. Other Groups, such as the Masons and the Rotary Club also helped with planters on the seafront and in Burnham High St, and we greatly appreciate their generosity.
“Finally, I wanted to say a big thank you to Jo, for organising the schools’ competition and to Dave, who has worked tirelessly for years to ensure that Burnham-in-Bloom puts on its best display each year for residents and visitors alike. The judges said that he was “very persuasive” – we can all vouch for that! I know that you were hoping for “Gold” this year, Dave, but our award of Silver Gilt was an astonishing achievement, given the circumstances, and you were very important in making this happen. Thank you for all you have done – you deserve “Gold”, in my opinion!”
