This article outlines some of the achievements gained by Norton In Hales in the previous years.
Flower of England
By kind permission of The RHS, following was printed in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday 17 October 2015
“A tiny Shropshire village has been crowned this year’s Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions. Judges from the Royal Horticultural Society descibed Norton in Hales as ‘a beautiful picturesque ruralvillage set in the Heart of England’, praising the sheer variety of plants on display, particularly at the village green and sports field.
The competition 2015 was a special year. Entry is normally made into the Heart of England in Bloom competition, who present bronze, silver, silver gilt and gold awards. Only the very best go forward into the national Britain in Bloom contest. However, Norton was selected to go into the Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions competition in 2015 having achieved considerable success at local and national level in recent years.
Norton were in fact crowned RHS Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions
Alma Finlay Burrows and Ann Holland receiving the 2015 Champion of Champion awards at the prize winners ceremony.
The group decided to take a year off in 2016 and to not enter Heart of England in Bloom!
Only 50% of the points are awarded for horticultural displays, 25% to local environmental responsibility and 25% to community participation. So to be successful, entry has to be an all round community effort.
2014 Joint Winners in Britain in Bloom Norton’s run of success continued in 2014 by winning a gold medal and being declared joint winners in the village category. Not only that, but the village was chosen to take part in the Britain in Bloom Champion of Champions competition in 2015, which will see Norton pitted against 5 other places, some quite large, like Bath! This is a challenge for consistent winners in the In Bloom competitions and was won by Shrewsbury in 2014.
‘Alma Finlay Burrows and Ann Holland receiving the awards at the RHS 2014 presentation.’
To read the 2015 portfolio, please click on the above photo
After gap of 2 years, the village entered the Heart of England In Bloom competition again in 2013.
The result was a gold medal and a win for the village category. In addition, the village has been invited to enter the Britain in Bloom competition in 2014 to represent the Heart of England.
A portfolio of the In Bloom activities throughout the year has to be provided for the judges.
2010 sees the fantastic run of success continue for Norton, as the village wins a Gold Award in the Britain in Bloom competition and is overall winner for the second time.
Ann and Malcolm McDonald receiving the gold award from Alyss Fowler at the RHS Awards Presentation.
A portfolio of the In Bloom activities throughout the year has to be provided for the judges.
The judges obviously liked what they saw, because they decided that Norton were Britain in Bloom 2010 winners. They were impressed by the community spirit in the village and made many pleasing comments, along with suggestions for further improvement. To read the full judges report, please click here.
2009 The village has won a gold award again in 2009, was judged best in the Heart of England village category and chosen to represent the Midlands in the national Britain in Bloom competition in 2010.
2008 Gold Awarded in 2008
2007 Norton gained a Silver gilt award in the 2007 Heart of England competition together with an Environmental Award
2006 saw the gaining of a gold medal in the Britain in Bloom competition and being judged best in its class. In winning the award, Norton in Hales beat off competition from 3 other villages, respectively Coniston, East Budleigh (Devon) and Scarva (Northern Ireland). Norton is the first West Midlands winner of the National Award, which represents the highest accolade from the campaign organized by the Royal Horticultural Society.
The village was also awarded a special Environmental Quality award, beating off contenders in all of its classes – from the largest city to the smallest hamlet.
2005 The village won the Heart of England, Village Category, Award in 2005 with a gold medal. It was then selected to enter the national Britain in Bloom, representing Heart of England.