Wales in Bloom judge praises Saundersfoot's community efforts

SAUNDERSFOOT welcomed RHS Wales in Bloom judge Jim Goodwin recently to assess the village’s entry in this year's competition.

Mr Goodwin started off the day by meeting with Womble volunteers, County Councillor Chris Williams and members of the Community Council who have all worked together throughout the year to help prepare the village for its Main Category entry, and seeing examples of artwork created from plastic picked up off the beaches, astonishing weights of litter collected with help from Saundersfoot Rotary and many examples of gardening, craft and wellbeing activities that have happened over the last year.

Saundersfoot Wombles had the backing of the community council to enter this year with both groups keen to enter to build on the success of last year's ‘It's Your Neighbourhood’ projects, and to continue the legacy of Saundersfoot in Bloom's successes over the years since that group chose to step down.

Mr Goodwin was then shown around the village by volunteers from Saundersfoot Wombles - a mix of beach cleaners, litter-pickers and gardeners - his tour included the Bowling Club, where he was particularly impressed by the wide variety of planting, the care taken to maintain the space, and the continued efforts of volunteers to keep the area looking vibrant and welcoming. He encouraged them to consider entering the Bowling Club as an individual project in next year's competition.

With the tour taking place in the heat, the tour party were incredibly grateful to Holly at Hourglass Speakeasy Boutique for refreshing iced ‘Saundersfoot Garden’ mocktails garnished with home-grown flowers and herbs.

Although the competition results will not be announced until late October, Saundersfoot is currently enjoying a spectacular display of colour, with residents and visitors able to appreciate the hard work that has gone into creating such a beautiful environment during the summer weather.

As part of his tour, Mr Goodwin also visited a garden in Incline Way which had previously been recognised through Saundersfoot in Bloom’s ‘Nominate a Garden’ initiative. He was delighted to inform Mr Price of Charlecote House that he will be putting the garden - with so much grown from seeds and cuttings - forward for the Wales in Bloom Best Front Garden competition.

The visit highlighted the many beautiful front gardens of Saundersfoot. Whether you notice a garden while out walking the dog, on the school run, or simply passing through the village, taking the time to acknowledge someone's efforts can make a real difference and brighten their day.

New for this year, residents could also nominate a local business that makes a special effort to enhance the appearance of the village and has a positive impact on the wider community.

Saundersfoot Wombles thanks all the volunteers, residents, businesses, and community groups whose hard work and enthusiasm continue to make the village such a colourful and welcoming place. Mr Goodwin commented that he was impressed with how clean the village was, noting he hadn't seen a single cigarette butt - testament to the small army of litter-pickers who were out early making sure the village shone as it should.