Mid and East Antrim in Bloom awards ceremony

The winners and runners up in the Mid and East Antrim in Bloom Community Competitions have been celebrated at an awards ceremony at Larne Town Hall.
Mid and East Antrim in Bloom Community Competition prize winnners attended an awards ceremony at Larne Town Hall on Friday, included is the Mayor, Cllr Lindsay Millar.Mid and East Antrim in Bloom Community Competition prize winnners attended an awards ceremony at Larne Town Hall on Friday, included is the Mayor, Cllr Lindsay Millar.
Mid and East Antrim in Bloom Community Competition prize winnners attended an awards ceremony at Larne Town Hall on Friday, included is the Mayor, Cllr Lindsay Millar.

Speaking at the event, the Mayor, Cllr Lindsay Millar, said: “Our Mid and East Antrim ‘In Bloom’ Community Competitions are an important way for us to celebrate the local people, the network of volunteers, and local businesses, who actively support our ‘In Bloom’ campaign and give up so much of their time to plant floral displays, improve areas for biodiversity, keep towns and villages clean and tidy and ‘green the grey’ by brightening up forgotten corners.

“I am pleased that Mid and East Antrim in Bloom Community Competitions have really caught the imagination of our citizens and we have had a fantastic response to the awards from all across the borough.

“I was very impressed by the number of high quality entries. The time and dedication of entrants is extraordinary and a credit to all involved. Everyone who took part should be very proud of their achievements. Thank you all for taking part.”

Winners (named first) and runners up were as follows:

Best Kept Front Garden - Janet Ashington, Gracehill; Hilary Reid, Carrickfergus; Chris Hamil, Whitehead. Best Kept Front Container Garden - Brett Harris, Larne; Jackie Wilson, Glenarm; Brice Rea, Larne.        

Best Allotment Garden - Ivan McComb, Eden Allotment Gardens; Barry Shaw, Greenisland Allotment Gardens; Christine Gibson, Larne Allotment Gardens. Best Community Planting Scheme - Glenarm in Bloom; Brighter Whitehead; Larne Renovation Generation.

Best Commercial Premises - Castello Italia, Carrickfergus; The Diamond Bar, Ahoghill; Gillaroo Lodge, Larne. Best Kept Roundabout - H&L McLarnon and Son; Galgorm Dental.

Gardening for Wildlife Award - The Garden Across the Road, Kells; Friends of Ecos Nature Park, Ballymena; Phil Allen, Carrickfergus. Tallest Sunflower - Jaxson Gilliland, age 4, Gleno; Hollie Hunter, age 4, Larne; Evie Stirling, age 10, Larne.

Painting (Under 16) - Hannah Grace Spence, age 11, Gracehill; Briony Roberson, age 11, Portglenone; Jack Fleck, age 11, Ballymena. Painting (Under 10) - Tristan McClean, age 10, Whitehead; Tyrese Simms, age 9, Carrickfergus; Caleb Clarke, age 3, Larne.

Poetry - Lucas Bayram, age 9, Ballymena; Cameron Devlin, age 10, Ahoghill; Nikita Hartley age 9, Carrickfergus. Best School Gardening Project - Carrickfergus Central Primary; Seaview Primary, Glenarm; PlayAway, Islandmagee.

Volunteer of the Year - Elaine McIlwaine and Irene Hunter, Carrickfergus. Young Volunteer of the Year - Cameron Liddle, Gleno.

Special award for outstanding contribution to Mid and East Antrim in Bloom:- Wilsons of Rathkenny.