Uttoxeter Town Council, many community groups and community volunteers take part in Uttoxeter In Bloom each year to enable Uttoxeter to participate in the Heart of England in Bloom Annual Competition.
Uttoxeter Town Council together with the grant support from East Staffordshire Borough Council are responsible for entering Uttoxeter within the Heart of England in Bloom Annual Competition. Uttoxeter Town Council also provide grants to various community groups and schools.
The Friends of Uttoxeter in Bloom annually provide floral trees, hanging baskets, floral beds and planters throughout the Town to make a brighter and more colourful place for both local people and visitors to live, work and generally enjoy.
Watch this space for more Uttoxeter In Bloom updates.
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2025
Uttoxeter had another great set of results in 2025:
2024
On Thursday, 18th July Uttoxeter was visited by regional Britain In Bloom judges to assess the towns floral displays, environmental initiatives and community involvement. 
The judges visited the community gardens and enjoyed the floral displays around town along the way. Bramshall Road Park and Uttoxeter Cemetery were also judged under the Parks and Open Spaces Category. 
The Uttoxeter In Bloom Committee would like to say a huge thank you to all of the community gardens and community groups/organisations for being involved in the tour. The Bloom volunteers work so hard throughout the year to get their gardens/community spaces/allotments looking beautiful. 
We’d also like to say a huge thank you to the Uttoxeter Businesses for purchasing hanging baskets this year. We had a record number purchased and the baskets looked beautiful all over town.
Thank you to Draycott Nurseries and Bramshall Farm for sponsoring the beautiful hanging baskets outside Uttoxeter Town Hall and 19 High Street. 
Thank you to Uttoxeter Racecourse for their support with planting projects & community activities throughout the year. 
Thank you also to the Uttoxeter WI for creating some beautiful bunting for us to decorate the community gardens with on the day. 
A big thank you also has to go to ESBC for part sponsoring the businesses hanging baskets and providing all of the floral trees and roundabout displays (thank you to the businesses who sponsor the roundabouts/floral beds too). 
Uttoxeter In Bloom really is a team effort, so thank you to everyone involved, we couldn’t do it without you
Results will be announced in the autumn
, so we’re keeping everything crossed until then 
For more information about Uttoxeter In Bloom and/or how to become a volunteer, please contact admin.assistant@uttoxetertowncouncil.gov.uk or 01889 564085
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2022
The Uttoxeter In Bloom Committee are pleased to announce the following awards achieved by the
town in the 2022 Bloom Campaign:
Town Category: Uttoxeter In Bloom – Gold
Town Category: Uttoxeter In Bloom – Category
Winners
Parks Category: Bramshall Road park – Gold
Parks Category: Uttoxeter Cemetery – Gold
Parks Category: Pennycroft Park – Silver
Gilt
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign: Go
Garden – Level 5 Outstanding (top marks)
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign:
Uttoxeter Train Station – Level 5 Outstanding (top marks)
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign:
Uttoxeter Library Courtyard Garden – Level 5 Outstanding (top marks)
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign:
Uttoxeter Heath Community Centre Community Garden – Level 5 Outstanding
(top marks)
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign:
Redfern’s Cottage – Level 4 Thriving
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign:
Oldfields Hall Middle School – Level 4 Thriving
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign: Saint
Mary the Virgin Parish Church – Level 4 Thriving
It’s Your Neighbourhood Campaign: Globe
Foundation Courtyard Garden – Level 3 Advancing
Heart of England is the region in which Uttoxeter is assessed as part of the broader Britain In Bloom campaign, run by the Royal Horticultural Society. Entries in all categories are judged using the following criteria: Horticulture, Environment and Community and the overall aim is to make communities safe, clean and green.
The Town Category was assessed in person by the Heart of England In Bloom judges and using the towns portfolio, which is submitted to the judges on judging day. It was lovely for the volunteers to chat with the judges and show them around the community gardens in town.
Heart of England In Bloom judges also visited the towns It’s Your Neighbourhood entries. This is the non-competitive category of the RHS Britain in Bloom Campaign, which any community group can enter to show the judges what Bloom activities they have been up to. From running a community garden to tidying up an untidy area and making it an enjoyable space for all to use (permission is always sought where necessary).
The Parks Category was also judged in person by the Heart of England In Bloom judges. With Uttoxeter Cemetery retaining Gold again this year and both Bramshall Road Park and Pennycroft Park improving their scores this year. Pennycroft Park and Bramshall Road Park are both managed by ESBC in conjunction with the Friends of Bramshall Road Park.
The Bloom Committee would like to thank all of the volunteers for their hard work and commitment, we couldn’t have done this without you all. Thank you also for all of the support the volunteers give us throughout the year, from bulb
planting to planting up containers and not forgetting the amazing bike project which was carried out by just 2 volunteers and over 30 volunteer hours. The volunteers do all of this work as well as looking after community gardens throughout the town. So they really are amazing!
We can’t forget our sponsors the Strawberry Garden Centre, thank you for your continued support each year. The Town Hall hanging baskets looked beautiful once again this year.
A massive thank you also goes to ESBC for all of the beautiful commercial hanging baskets, street planting and roundabout planting.
The committee would also like to thank the local businesses for their support through purchasing the sponsored hanging baskets from ESBC. The hanging baskets really brighten up the town and contribute to the Bloom efforts. Thank you also to all of the local businesses that took part in the Bloomin’ Best Dressed Window Competition this year.
Thanks also goes to the local allotments for their involvement in the judging tour, this year we were hosted by Millfield Victory Allotment on Heath Road. The local allotments also take part in the Uttoxeter In Bloom Best Kept Allotment Competition. It’s always great to get all aspects of the community involved in Bloom activities, especially the towns allotmenteers.
Chair of the Uttoxeter In Bloom Committee, Councillor Marie Williams said “As Chair of the Uttoxeter in Bloom Committee I am so pleased that Uttoxeter as a Town and all of the community gardens individually have achieved such fantastic results. It was also great to have the improvements made by both our Parks recognised with these awards. The volunteers have worked so hard this year and it is lovely to see this reflected in the results achieved. We have also been very touched to see some of the appreciative comments received from local residents throughout the year. The volunteers should be very proud of their achievements. Congratulations to all!”
Town Mayor, Councillor Helen Headech said “What an amazing result for the Town. I know we have all seen and enjoyed the beautiful displays around town this year. The volunteers are incredible and always work so hard. I was lucky enough to be in attendance for this year’s judging tour and the community gardens we visited were not just beautiful and environmentally friendly spaces but they were also community hubs for local residents to use and enjoy. I would just like to say a huge thank you to the volunteers for everything they do for the town.”
For more information about Uttoxeter In Bloom and how to become a volunteer please contact: admin.assistant@uttoxtc.org.uk or 01889 564085.
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2021
Uttoxeter Town Council and the Uttoxeter In Bloom Committee are proud to announce that Uttoxeter has achieved the following results in the 2021 Heart of England In Bloom campaign:
Town Category: Gold
It’s Your Neighbourhood Bradley House: Thriving
It’s Your Neighbourhood Go Garden: Outstanding
It’s Your Neighbourhood Proud to be Picknalls: Thriving
It’s Your Neighbourhood Redfern’s Cottage: Thriving
It’s Your Neighbourhood Uttoxeter Community Garden: Outstanding
It’s Your Neighbourhood Library Courtyard Garden: Outstanding
It’s Your Neighbourhood Station Adopters: Outstanding
Park Category Uttoxeter Cemetery: Gold
Park Category Bramshall Road Park: Silver Gilt
Park Category Pennycroft Park: Silver (first year entered)
Discretionary Award for Outstanding Merit: Mick Eyre (community volunteer)
Discretionary Award for Outstanding Achievement: Zdzislaw Krupski (community volunteer and Town Councillor)
RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood Outstanding Achievement Award: Station Adopters
Heart of England is the region in which Uttoxeter is assessed as part of the broader Britain In Bloom campaign. Entries are judged by three categories: Horticulture, Environment and Community and the overall aim is to make communities safe, clean and green.
The Town Category was assessed digitally via a portfolio but as restrictions eased the judges were able to visit in person for It’s Your Neighbourhood and Park judging. It was so lovely for the groups to be able to share their gardens with the judges after such a tough 18 months; with some community garden groups unable to gain access to the gardens until spring this year.
Chair of the Uttoxeter In Bloom Committee, Councillor Marie Williams said “As Chair of the Uttoxeter in Bloom Committee I am delighted that all our entrants to the Heart of England In Bloom campaign for 2021 have achieved such fantastic results. All volunteers and contributors have worked especially hard this year following the challenges of the previous year and their perseverance and commitment has been recognised in these awards. They should all be very proud of their achievements and I know many Uttoxeter residents have enjoyed the results of all the In Bloom efforts. Congratulations to all!”
Town Mayor, Councillor Chris Sylvester said “I would like to personally congratulate and thank all those involved in Uttoxeter’s entry in The Heart of England in Bloom campaign. We were awarded Gold in the Town Category and many other awards in the other categories. This includes community volunteers and helpers and Town Hall staff and councillors all of whom have put a massive amount of work in to achieve these awards. Special thanks go to Mick Eyre and Zdzislaw Krupski for winning Discretionary Awards for Outstanding Achievement – Community Volunteers and to Councillor Marie Williams, Chair of the Uttoxeter In Bloom Committee. We should all be proud of Uttoxeter’s outstanding achievements in this campaign in a year of adversity. It has helped to bring the community together, as we came out of the pandemic, and brighten-up and bring an array of colours to our Town.”
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2019
The Heart of England in Bloom Judges’ visited Uttoxeter on Thursday, 11 July 2019 to judge the Town as part of the Heart of England in Bloom Town category campaign.
The Judges’ also judged Uttoxeter Cemetery within the Heart of England in Bloom’s Parks and Open Spaces category.
Uttoxeter Town Council together with the grant support from East Staffordshire Borough Council were responsible for entering Uttoxeter within the Heart of England in Bloom Annual Competition.
The Friends of Uttoxeter in Bloom provided floral trees, hanging baskets, floral beds and planters throughout the Town, to make a brighter and more colourful place for both local people and visitors to live, work and generally enjoy.
The Council also provided grants to all seven of the Town’s Schools, St. Mary’s Parish Church, the Royal British Legion, Uttoxeter Library and Redferns Cottage.
‘Blooming Marvellous’ awards for Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter was awarded Gold within the Town category of the Heart of England in Bloom campaign 2019 and was also awarded the overall Town Category Winner. In addition to these wonderful achievements, Uttoxeter was selected to represent the Heart of England in Bloom within the Britain in Bloom National Finals in 2020.
In addition to the Town category awards, Councillor Zdzislaw Krupski was awarded a Special Community Achievement Award.
The Heart of England in Bloom Regional Judges visited Uttoxeter on 11 July 2019. The Heart of England in Bloom Judges’ Roger Tait and Donna Loasby made the following comments on the Town’s Regional entry:
Donna Loasby and Roger Tait said “As we have come to expect of Uttoxeter, this year’s tour was filled with exciting and innovative people and projects, and led with the customary passion and pride of Tina and Caroline, who truly are the beating heart of the town’s Bloom campaign, ably assisted by an ever expanding flock of dedicated and enthusiastic Bloomers. Uttoxeter never lacks the courage to try new things and always delivers on effort, facing challenges head on and staying positive in the face of adversity. This was epitomized by the Cleaner Beats song and rap performed by the children at the conclusion of the tour. The imminent Sheep Fair provided the opportunity for some great fun on the tour, where communities had seized the chance to show their support for the event, and without trying to pull the wool over the judge’s eyes, had put their own spin on this theme in their particular projects! The results certainly were not mutton dressed as lamb and Uttoxeter has no reason to feel sheepish with their campaign this year. The judges look forward to coming baah-ck next year!”
Areas of Achievement:
•The baskets and floral trees in and around the town centre were very well developed, colourful and had high impact
•The growing of plants at the Go Garden centre for use throughout the town was hugely commendable
•The Uttoxeter Cares/SOB’s garden at The Hermitage had really developed and was beautifully maintained
•The Library Garden continued to be spectacular – a riot of colour
•The perennial planting at the Railway Station by the Adopters provided great impact for people and also benefited pollinating insects
•The roses around the paddock at the Racecourse were gorgeous and set off by the beautifully manicured lawn
•The planting in the caravan park was great fun, and brightened up the site wonderfully
•The Globe Eco Centre is a fantastic resource for the town and a great new addition to the tour. A particular mention to the hydroponic system, the workshop for sorting and shredding the plastics, and the wonderful range of products in the shop made from the recycled materials – excellent!
•A special mention also for the new Household Waste Recycling centre and the increased recycling rate of 43.6% – this, along with Uttoxeter’s status as a Fair Trade town, really cemented its green credentials
•The Go Garden Centre with its wildflower meadow, wildlife areas and home-grown flowers and veg continued to be a tremendous asset
•The wildflower verges and strips throughout the route created mini habitats and contributed to the aims of the Biodiversity Strategy – the Bee Friendly signs helped to promote this
•The town-wide “buy-in” to environmental issues from community groups, volunteers and partner organisations was very commendable
•The re-use of chipped tree arisings for mulch and bio-fuel was a positive, as was the water pump at the station, fed by the Picknall Brook
•The Park Avenue allotments were well stocked and contained an innovative Kids Patch
•The Maltings was clean, tidy and cared-for, despite being closed
•The engagement with and genuine involvement of a range of age and interest groups across the entire town was evident, with some particularly dedicated volunteers such as Zdzislaw Krupski deserving of a special mention
•New groups and projects being included in the campaign as well as long-standing supporters such as the Strawberry Garden Centre
•Events and activities for a range of tastes were evident all year round – the then imminent sheep fair had obviously captured the attention of the town with some great shop window dressings and an abundance of knitted sheep
•Strong sponsorship and fund raising activity, from the Town and Borough Councils, grant awards and “in-kind” contributions
•Almost 2,000 hours of volunteer time – up by 250 hours from last year
•Increased use of social media to promote the campaign
In addition to the Town’s Awards, the Heart of England in Bloom announced its ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ Winners and Uttoxeter received the following Awards:
The Uttoxeter Go Garden Project was awarded Level 5 – Outstanding
Uttoxeter Station Adopters was awarded Level 5 – Outstanding together with ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood Certificate of Outstanding Achievement’ Discretionary Award
Uttoxeter Library Courtyard Garden was awarded Level 5 – Outstanding
Uttoxeter Cemetery was awarded Gold within the Parks Category
Bramshall Road Park was awarded Silver Gilt within the Parks Category
The Globe Community Garden was awarded Level 3 – Advancing
Bradley House Club was awarded Level 4 – Thriving
The Heath Community Garden was awarded Level 1 – Establishing
These awards are in addition to the Borough Council’s entry for Pennycroft Park.
Town Mayor, Councillor Sue McGarry said “These results are fantastic and reflect the excellent partnerships which have been developed between the Town Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, local organisations and our wonderful volunteers. These results are an accolade to the whole town.”
Chair of Uttoxeter in Bloom, Councillor Carolyn Green said ‘’ Uttoxeter has some truly exceptional and creative gardening volunteers, whom without their support we could not have achieved the results we did. To obtain a place in the Britain in Bloom National campaign for the second time in 3 years is phenomenal. The Uttoxeter In Bloom Committee are looking forward to working with the community and our Partners over the next few months on our entries for summer 2020.’’
Tina Jeffery, Town Clerk and Bloom Co-ordinator said “I am truly delighted with the results that Uttoxeter has achieved, these wonderful awards reflect the effort and commitment of the Uttoxeter in Bloom Working Group, Councillors and many, many community volunteers. I would personally like to express my sincere thanks to all those who have participated and provided sponsorship and support throughout the past year; you have all done Uttoxeter proud. We are currently planning the tour for the Britain in Bloom Nationals for next year; so once again, it will be another busy year for the Town”.
The Friends of Uttoxeter in Bloom annually provide floral trees, hanging baskets, floral beds and planters throughout the town to make a brighter and more colourful place for residents and visitors to live, work and enjoy.
The Bloom funding enables the Bloom Committee to provide grants to all seven of the Town’s Schools, St. Mary’s Parish Church, the Royal British Legion and Uttoxeter Library, together with a number of community projects which change annually.