Sunderland city centre hailed in horticulture awards

While all awards to the city are presented at full council, cabinet member for environment and transport, Councillor Amy Wilson, took the opportunity to take trophies and award certificates into the Mayor’s Parlour for the Mayor, Coun Lynda Scanlan, to put on display for civic guests in advance.

At Northumbria in Bloom 2018, Sunderland City Council was a winner in the main categories for best City Centre, while Rainton Bridge Business Park, in Houghton, was awarded Gold in the special category awards for Best Business Park.

Coun Scanlan said: “We can all be very proud of this official recognition of the hard work and resources which go into maintaining and continually improving our green spaces, floral displays, trees and parks.

“Winning the city centre category is particularly pleasing, as it shows our efforts to create the best, most attractive urban environment we can for everybody who works, visits, shops and studies here are working.

“I’d like to thank our business and commercial partners for helping us to achieve that, and also to congratulate those at Rainton Bridge for being named as Best Business Park in the same awards.”

There was also success in the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) ‘It’s Your Neigbourhood Awards’ awards for local voluntary and community groups.

Grindon Church Community Project, Holmlands Grounds in Ashbrooke and Tom Urwin House in Silksworth were all judged as ‘Outstanding’, while the Friends of Fulwell, Pallion Traders in Bloom and Blooming in St Anne’s community gardening project also received awards.

Coun Wilson added: “It’s the efforts of community and voluntary groups which help make our city what it is, and it’s fantastic to see so many of them achieving success in the RHS ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood Awards’ every year.”