On Thursday 12 August 2021, residents and employees from local charity and care provider, The Fremantle Trust, celebrated a ‘blooming’ good day at its annual gardening awards – Fremantle In Bloom, which took place at each of the Trust’s homes and services.

More than 30 entries and project books were submitted as part of the Fremantle in Bloom competition with keen gardeners from across the Trust’s services in Bucks, competing in six hotly contested categories and two ‘Outstanding Achievement’ honorary awards.

The judging panel were tasked with reviewing not just the end result but also the extent to which the initiative promoted independence, creativity, inclusion and community engagement.

Categories included Best Edible Garden, Balconies and Sensory Gardens with the Stan Flowers Memorial Cup for Outstanding Achievement awarded to Chesham Supported Living and Chesham Leys. 

Winners and runners up were presented with certificates and trophies for attentively nurturing plants, gardens and displays for all to enjoy in their living environments. You can see some lovely pictures of residents receiving the awards in the video here.

Sara Livadeas, CEO of the Fremantle Trust, commented: “Gardening is a great way to improve both mental and physical health by keeping you active, reduces stress levels and helps people relax. Fremantle in Bloom has been wonderful for our residents to enjoy all these therapeutic benefits of gardening. It even encouraged an infectious competitive streak, which was a joy to see.”