FLOWER power will be embraced across Northwich again this summer, as the Northwich Business Improvement District again bids for awards success.

The BID has entered the town into two categories for the North West in Bloom Awards, with Northwich eyeing up the top prize in both the Large Town and BID sections.

Last year, the town picked up a Silver Gilt medal in the same categories. Grozone Community Garden also bagged prizes, being named outstanding in the ‘In Your Neighbourhood’ section before also being given the RHS Wild About Gardens award for the project’s contribution to gardening for wildlife.

For this year’s entry, the BID will be working with partners across a range of initiatives to impress the judges, who will be awarding points for horticulture, environmental impact and community engagement.

These include Love my River’s floating habitats, yellow fish schemes and rainwater gardens, as well as wildlife-friendly school grounds and meadows at Kingsmead Primary School and the construction of raised bed planters at Anderton Place.

On top of this, Castle Community Centre has been working on a rainwater garden project, Grozone have been raising heirloom varieties of vegetable seed and Northwich Alzheimer’s Café have been planting some lavender pots.

St Paul’s Square, opposite the Penny Black, is the location for a sensory garden, and entries have been made in the ‘In Your Neighbourhood’ competition which comprises projects at the Lion Salt Works Butterfly Garden, Grozone, Transition Streets Northwich and Kingsmead Primary School.

The judges will visit Northwich on Tuesday, July 30, to be greeted with colourful and creative window displays from some of the town’s retailers and pubs as part of a competition to find the town’s best-dressed business.

Partners include the town and borough councils.

Northwich BID manager Jane Hough said: “It was amazing to receive the Silver Gilt in two categories last year considering it was our first year entering and the community engagement involved was brilliant to see.

“Looking at all the projects and initiatives that are taking place in 2019 we have another very strong entry and we’ve all got our fingers crossed that Northwich can do well once again.”