Mid Sussex celebrates success at South & South East in Bloom Awards

The achievements included:

• Beech Hurst Gardens - Gold Award and Park Category Winner 
• Glendale Countryside Green Space Action Team – RHS Community Gold Award 
• Glendale Countryside Green Space Action Team - Outstanding, RHS It's Your Neighbourhood 

The awards are part of South & South East in Bloom, the regional arm of the Britain in Bloom campaign, which is supported by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The programme celebrates the work of communities and organisations in creating and maintaining attractive, welcoming and environmentally responsible places, and includes initiatives such as RHS It's Your Neighbourhood and the RHS Community Awards. 

Beech Hurst Gardens, in Haywards Heath, received a Gold Award and was named winner of the Park category. Held in trust for the benefit of the local community and managed by Mid Sussex District Council, the heritage park is home to a range of gardens, green spaces and recreational facilities. Judges praised the park's high standard of maintenance, welcoming atmosphere and variety of planting, including species that support pollinators. The award reflects the ongoing work of the Council and Glendale to maintain and enhance the park, which supports a wide range of activities, community groups and visitors, helping to make it a valued community hub. 

Meanwhile, the work of the Green Space Action Team was recognised with two awards, highlighting both Glendale's success in engaging local people and the contribution volunteers make to green spaces across Mid Sussex. 

The Green Space Action Team is a volunteer group led by a team of Countryside Rangers, giving local people the opportunity to get involved in caring for parks, green spaces and nature reserves across Mid Sussex. Through regular sessions, volunteers work alongside the ranger team on practical conservation and improvement projects while enjoying the benefits of spending time outdoors, meeting new people and connecting with nature. Activities take place at locations across the district including Beech Hurst Gardens, Victoria Park, Hurst Farm Pond and St John's Park.

The RHS Community Gold Award recognised the team's success in engaging local people through the programme and creating opportunities for residents to get involved. The group's Outstanding award in the RHS It's Your Neighbourhood scheme, the highest level within the programme, recognised the contribution volunteers make to local outdoor spaces and the wider community.

Councillor Chris Hobbs, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Customer Services, said: "These awards are a fantastic achievement and reflect the care and pride that goes into maintaining our parks and green spaces. They recognise the hard work of the Council, Glendale and local volunteers, whose commitment helps make places such as Beech Hurst Gardens so valued by residents. I'm especially pleased to see the Green Space Action Team celebrated in this way. The group brings real benefits not only to our green spaces, but also to the people who take part, and I'd encourage anyone interested to give a session a try."

Sam Smith, Service Manager at Glendale, said: "We're delighted that both Beech Hurst Gardens and the Green Space Action Team have been recognised through these awards. As Mid Sussex District Council's Green Spaces management partner, we're proud of the work that goes into caring for the parks and helping them thrive. Community engagement is also a key part of what we do, and the Green Space Action Team has created a fantastic opportunity for people to get involved, connect with nature and make a positive difference in their local area. We'd like to thank all of the volunteers who have helped make it such a success."

ENDS