Floral clock chimes with awards judges
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SILVER medal hopes have been realised by a blooming hard-working Caithness community group.
The Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council sub-group returned from Motherwell this week with a medal certificate from Scotland’s leading charity for the environment in recognition of its efforts in improving the town – its third such accolade in three years.
The award was made by the Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) at a ceremony on Tuesday.
Wick Floral Baskets chairwoman Joanna Coghill scooped the silver medal certificate in the small town category for the group after being presented it by North Lanarkshire provost Jim Robertson and KSB representative Helen McKenna.
“Everyone was badly affected by the weather this year, so we are delighted with another silver award as the winners Bothwell won a silver gilt – so we are not that far behind,” Joanna told the John O’Groat Journal.
“It was a busy day meeting all these wonderful different voluntary groups and amazing to see groups like ours from all over Scotland.
“As the judge said on the day, to think we are so far north and still manage to achieve so much every year in our gem of a town.”
During the past year, the group has not only filled the town’s streets and green spaces with colourful planters, it has run a green-fingered competition with an Olympic theme for schools and overseen one of the country’s few working floral clocks.
Two judges were in town at the start of August to assess this year’s entry to the Beautiful Scotland competition – formerly known as Scotland in Bloom.
The tour for the Floral Wick entry comprised taking in the newly planted Newton Hill forest; a visit to the flower group’s garden competition winners at South School; acknowledging the developments at the harbour and the welcome return of HarbourFest, as well as a trip round the memorial garden and heritage museum in Bank Row.
The judges – Stan Da Prato and Steven Mitchell – were particularly impressed with the garden clock in Bridge Street. The cleanliness of the area, the level of graffiti and issues such as recycling are taken into account and contribute to the entrant achieving either a bronze, silver, silver gilt or gold medal.
KSB chief executive Derek Robertson said the Beautiful Scotland campaign celebrates the work of community groups which pull together to improve their areas.
“The awards presented at this ceremony go some way to recognising all the endless hours which volunteers and local authorities put in throughout the year to ensure that visitors and locals are able to enjoy clean, green and sustainable surroundings,” he said.
“Through floral enhancement, community participation and taking responsibility for tackling littering and dog fouling, the Wick group makes a massive difference to the town.”
The group is grateful to all those who helped in their endeavours this year especially the council’s TEC services and town gardeners.
