Ottery is blooming great - and that’s official!
Proof, if proof was needed, came in the form of a silver award for the town’s green-fingered champions.

The Ottery In Bloom team picked up their award at the recent Britain in Bloom presentations at Weston-super-Mare.

Ottery in Bloom coordinator Keith Spittlehouse said: “Along with many other ‘In Bloomers’ we collected the framed certificate which the chairman, Brian Nelson, presented to Ottery Town Council deputy Mayor Stewart Lucas.

“Ottery is rightly proud of the wonderful floral displays this year which, after a couple of cold nights, are ready to be cleared.

“Our small team planned and ordered plants, planted, nurtured and maintained them throughout the summer supported by the Town Council, Community Volunteers, Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs and many others.”

However, it was not only the flowers that wowed the judge. The town was also given marks for its environmental and community efforts and notched up a score only one point below that needed for a Silver Gilt award.

RIO (Recycling in Ottery) and the Station Hub got a special mention in the judges report as did the amount of media exposure achieved.

Keith said: “Ottery doesn’t believe in standing still and we will soon have to decide how to improve for 2022 to get an even better result.

“With more support, more community involvement, many pairs of hands in the summer for an hour of so, and new ideas the town will be aiming higher next year.

“To this end we have planned a public meeting on Monday, November 15 at the Station Hub at 7.30pm for townsfolk to come up with ideas for these improvements and to hear of our future plans.”

If you are not able to attend the meeting in person, you can contact either Brian on Ottery 813643 or Keith, on 812155.

Keith added: “Because we are able to save the previous year’s begonia corms we have some which will be in excess of future requirements. They are mostly trailing types and a mixture of colours. We plan to have these available free of charge at the public meeting.”