Wisbech crowned the overall winner of Anglia in Bloom 2009

WISBECH is officially the best in East Anglia! It has today been crowned the overall winner of Anglia in Bloom for 2009.

The awards ceremony, held in Gorleston, saw Wisbech win the RHS Gold Standard before retaining the Best Large Town award (for 12,001-35,000 residents) it won last year.

But it didn't end there - and Wisbech staved off competition from towns and villages across East Anglia to be named the best in the region.

Bob Ollier, Fenland District Council's parks and open spaces manager and chairman of Anglia in Bloom, said: "Five years ago, Wisbech was just a bronze medal-achieving town, but community spirit and high ambition has seen the entry transformed into the best in East Anglia.

"Wisbech should be congratulated on their achievement of their consistent high marks across the key criteria in all sections of the competition."

The remarkable rise to the top has come in just a few years. When Mr Ollier took up his post at the council he set out to make Fenland's towns as colourful and pleasant as possible.

The Wisbech in Bloom Group was formed as part of that - and today is made up of 10 volunteers.

Judges visited the town on a dry July day to look at the hundreds of flower displays - in the town centre, around Peckover House and Elgood's Brewery Gardens and along the North Brink.

They also visited St Peter's Church Gardens - which was nominated in the Best Local Authority Flower Display award but came up just short.

Mr Ollier's efforts with volunteers in towns and villages across Fenland also paid off at today's ceremony.

Chatteris won the gold award for the first time in the town category (for 6,001-12,000 residents); March won bronze in the large town section; Manea won silver in the large village section (for 1,001-2,500 residents); and Parson Drove won bronze in the large village section.

A number of projects were also nominated for awards:

• The Streetpride Team, March, was nominated for Best Community Project.

• Meeks Cemetery, Chatteris, was nominated for the Biodiversity Award.

• Manea was nominated for Best Open Public Space.

Around 450 people - including Mayors and Civic Heads - from six counties attended today's ceremony.

Mr Ollier said: "I congratulate all the communities and neighbourhoods in the East of England for the enthusiasm, commitment and effort made to improve, develop and sustain local environments across our region."

• The Britain in Bloom Finals - which includes Wisbech - take place next Wednesday in Torquay.

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ANGLIA IN BLOOM RESULTS 2009

BEST OVERALL ENTRY AND WINNER OF THE ANGLIA IN BLOOM TROPHY: WISBECH

CATEGORY ENTRANTS & AWARDS

SMALL VILLAGE (UNDER 300 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Silver Gilt Award: WOODHURST

Silver Awards: CATWORTH, LEVINGTON, SWAINSTHORPE

Bronze: GREAT RINGSTEAD

VILLAGE (301-1,000 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Gold Award: BULPHAN

Gold Award: FILBY

Silver Awards: CAVENDISH, OLD HUNSTANTON, WISTOW

LARGE VILLAGE (1,001-2,500 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Gold Award WINTERTON-ON-SEA

Silver Gilt Awards: HARLINGTON, ORSETT

Silver Awards: CLARE, MANEA

Bronze Awards: KIRBY-LE-SOKEN, PARSON DROVE

SMALL TOWN (2,501-6,000 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Silver Gilt Award FRINTON-on-SEA

Silver Gilt Award: BUNGAY, KELVEDON, LEISTON CUM SIZWELL,

MARTLESHAM, OULTON BROAD, REDBOURN SAWTRY. SAXMUNDHAM

Silver Award: BRAMPTON, GODMANCHESTER, HETHERSETT, SOUTH WOOTTON.

Bronze Award: JAYWICK.

TOWN (6,001-12,000 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Gold: Award HALSTEAD

Gold Awards: BRIGHTLINGSEA, CHATTERIS, WOODBRIDGE

Silver Gilt Awards: BURNHAM ON CROUCH, DOWNHAM MARKET, MALDON, SUDBURY

Silver Awards: NORTH WALSHAM, ROYSTON

LARGE TOWN (12,001-35,000 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Gold Award: WISBECH

Gold Award: BURY ST EDMUNDS, HUNTINGDON

Silver Gilt Awards: ELY, HARPENDEN, KING'S LYNN, NEWMARKET, RAYLEIGH, ST. NEOTS, ST. IVES, STOWMARKET, WARE

Silver Awards: KEMPSTON

Bronze Awards: LETCHWORTH, MARCH

SMALL CITY (35,001-100,000 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Gold Award: BEDFORD

Gold Award: NORWICH

Silver Gilt Award: IPSWICH

Silver Award: BROXBOURNE

CITY (100,001-200,000 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Silver Gilt Award: PETERBOROUGH

Silver Awards: SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, THURROCK

URBAN REGENERATION/COMMUNITY

Winner and Silver Award: MOOR (HUNTINGDON)

Silver Awards: GREATER DOGSTHORPE (PETERBOROUGH), QUEENS PARK (BEDFORD), THE LANES (NORWICH), TOWN WARD CLOSE (NORWICH).

COASTAL RESORT (UP TO 35,000 RESIDENTS)

Winner and Gold Award: HUNSTANTON

Silver Gilt Awards: CLACTON, FELIXSTOWE, GREAT YARMOUTH, LOWESTOFT, SHERINGHAM

Silver Award: HEACHAM

INTER REGIONAL CHAMPION

Winner and Gold Award: BRIGHTLINGSEA

Gold Award: BURY ST EDMUNDS

Silver Gilt Awards: BATTLE, ORSETT

Silver Award: CHICHESTER

Bronze Award: DODDINGTON

SPECIAL AWARDS

BEST NEW ENTRY - QUEENS PARK, BEDFORD

MOST IMPROVED - WARE

BIODIVERSITY AWARD

WINNER: WISTOW

Nominations: BEESTON COMMON, SHERINGHAM; BISHOPS PALACE GARDENS, NORWICH; KINGS MEAD NATURE RESERVE, WARE; MEEKS CEMETERY, CHATTERIS; THURROCK COUNCIL.

BEST COMMUNITY PROJECT

WINNER: CUMBERLAND GARDENS, REDBOURN

Nominations: ADAMS COURT, HALSTEAD; VILLAGE PROJECTS, BULPHAN; GROWING TOGETHER PROJECT, SOUTHEND; THE STREETPRIDE TEAM, MARCH; THE GOLDEN GARDENS, ELLIOT CRESENT/MILBURN ROAD, BEDFORD; THE YARD PROJECT, LOWESTOFT; WAR MEMORIAL, HARLESTON.

BEST CONSERVATION PROJECT

WINNER: PORTAL WOODLANDS AND MARTLESHAM NATURE WATCH

Nominations: BEESTON COMMON, SHERINGHAM; BOURNE PARK BARN OWL PROJECT, IPSWICH; DAVY DOWN MARDYKE VALLEY, THURROCK; HOLT ISLAND, ST IVES; SWAINSTHORPE CHURCH AND CHURCHYARD; THE NUTTERY, CLARE; THE WILLOWS, DOWNHAM MARKET.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AWARD

WINNER: PETERBOROUGH

Nominations: FILBY. HUNSTANTON, HUNTINGDON, MALDON, NORWICH, WINTERTON ON SEA.

GROW YOUR OWN AWARD

WINNER: WARD AVENUE ALLOTMENTS, THURROCK

Nominations: ALLOTMENTS, HARLINGTON; GREEN STREET ALLOTMENTS, ROYSTON; ECO ART PROJECT, DOGSTHORPE ROAD ALLOTMENTS; KERRY'S ALLOTMENT, NORWICH; NORTHFIELD ALLOTMENTS, HUNSTANTON; OLD HUNSTANTON, SEA LANE ALLOTMENTS; SAWTRY ALLOTMENTS; WAREHOUSE ALLOTMENTS, WARE.

BEST INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL AREA

WINNER: SARA'S TEAROOMS, GREAT YARMOUTH

Nominations: FRAMFIELD COMMERCIAL PARK, WOODBRIDGE; ICL TITAN WORKS, THURROCK; KING'S LYNN CREMATORIUM; MARSH PLC, NORWICH; MARTLESHAM HEATH BUSINESS PARK; OOCL LTD, LEVINGTON; WHITMORE ARMS, ORSETT.

BEST LOCAL AUTHORITY FLORAL DISPLAY

WINNER: BISHOPS ROAD GARDEN, PETERBOROUGH

Nominations: EMBANKMENT, BEDFORD; BISHOP'S ROAD GARDEN, PETERBOROUGH; CRESCENT GARDENS, FRINTON-ON-SEA; PRIORY PARK, ROYSTON; ST. STEPHENS ROUNDABOUT, NORWICH; THE MERMAID SERPENT, LIESURE CENTRE FORECOURT, FELIXSTOWE; ST PETERS CHURCH GARDENS, WISBECH.

BEST PUBLIC OPEN SPACE

WINNER:CENTRAL PARK, PETERBOROUGH

Nominations: BUNGAY COMMON; CAVENDISH GREEN; CHESHUNT PARK, BROXBOURNE; CONEYGEAR PARK, OXMOOR; COUNTRY PARK, CLARE; ELMHURST PARK, WOODBRIDGE; ESPLANADE GARDENS, HUNSTANTON; MANEA; THE WALKS, KINGS LYNN.

BEST GARDEN FOR SPECIAL NEEDS

WINNER: SENSORY GARDEN, HARPENDEN

Nominations: FILBY F.E.POW MEMORIAL BED; HANOVER COURT, E.P. RESIDENCE, SUDBURY; PSYCHIC/SENSORY GARDEN GP SURGERY, SHERINGHAM; SPRING COMMON SCHOOL, OXMOOR; WESTCLIFFE LAND AND CULTIVATION SOCIETY,SOUTHEND-ON-SEA.

BEST SUSTAINABLE/DROUGHT GARDEN

WINNER: JUBILEE GARDENS, ELY

Nominations: ST GILES CLOSE, ORSETT; WOMEN'S INSTITUTE DRY BED, HALSTEAD;HARRADINE CLOSE, WOODHURST.

BEST YOUNG PERSONS PROJECT (12-18 YEARS)

WINNER: KIRKLEY HIGH SCHOOL, LOWESTOFT

Nominations: PERSON IN A CHAIR, BULPHAN; OCKENDON SCHOOL, THURROCK; SAINT PETER'S HIGH SCHOOL, BURNHAM-ON-CROUCH; ST GEORGES SCHOOL, HARPENDEN.

BEST YOUNG PERSONS PROJECT ( UNDER 12 YEARS)

WINNER: HOLLAND PARK SCHOOL, CLACTON

Nominations: BRICK HILL LOWER SCHOOL, IPSWICH; CAVENDISH PRE-SCHOOL;FRINTON COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL, GARDENING CLUB; SOUTHFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL, PETERBOROUGH; WESTLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, BURY ST. EDMUNDS; SCHOOL ALLOTMENT,WINTERTON-ON-SEA;WOODBRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL.

THE ROY LACEY AWARD

WINNER: ROB BROOKS

Nominations: MR AND MRS WENT; TED GILDERS, MARGERY AND GORDON WARD.

• A certificate of recognition awarded to QUEENS PARK LOWER SCHOOL, BEDFORD for its innovative use of plastic bottles to make a greenhouse.

• A certificate of recognition awarded to IYAHANA WARRINGTON, a pupil of SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL, KEMPSTON, for designing the sunflower used on the certificates.