2010 Another Fine Result
Members of the Wareham in Bloom Committee, including the Mayor and Mayoress, travelled to Gillingham, Kent on Friday 10th September to hear the results of their entry in the Small Towns section of the South and South East in Bloom Competition.	Wareham in Bloom achieved a very creditable Silver Gilt in the Competition and another Silver Gilt in the inter-regional Champion of Champions award, where they represented Dorset against the Anglian Region. Mayor (and Chairman of Wareham in Bloom) Councillor Eric Osmond said "We are disappointed to slip a few points this year, having achieved three successive golds in previous years, to earn a Silver Gilt. To achieve a gold is hard but to retain it is even harder. We all felt that this year's effort was equal to, if not better than, last year's efforts, and we have had many appreciative comments for our floral displays and the cleanliness of the town. In the end, however, we do this for our residents and visitors and competition results are a bonus. So, well done, Wareham - and we'll be back!" Two members of the Upton in Bloom Committee also travelled with the Wareham party. Congratulations are extended to them for their fine Silver award in the same competition. Blue Peter Gardner Chris Collins presents The Mayor Cllr Eric Osmond & Mayoress with Wareham's 2010 certificate.

2009 Hat trick for Wareham as the town celebrates third Gold in a row
Wareham Town Council is delighted to announce that WAREHAM has been awarded a consecutive third GOLD in the South and South East regional Britain in Bloom competition 'Small Town' section. Town Clerk Rod Curtis, Blue Peter Gardner Chris Collins & Cllr Eric Osmond with Wareham's 2009 certificate.	Judges visited the town in July and were hugely impressed by its floral displays, community participation and environmental responsibility including the cleanliness and overall tidiness of the town. Apart from the stunning flower displays in the town centre, visits to Hemsbach Court, Priory Meadow, St Johns Hill, Church Green, the Cemetery Gardens, Bestwall allotments site, Purbeck School's Darwin Anniversary allotment, residents' gardens in Causeway Close, the County Council Recycling Centre, Hauses Field and a new 'Secret Garden' project at the rear of the public library were included in the judging route. The 2009 result was the best of any town in Dorset and only one mark away from the prestigious overall category winner, which went to Liphook in Hampshire. The Judges said: 'Wareham continues to go from strength to strength and stand out as an excellent example of how an all year round campaign can make the town a beautiful place to live, work in and visit. The involvement of young people within the In Bloom effort is to be applauded. Wareham continues to improve year on year and sustain their achievements thus far in the competition. The Mayor, Councillor Audrey Tighe said: 'On behalf of the whole town of Wareham, I extend my warm congratulations to Chairman Eric Osmond and the Wareham in Bloom Committee, to Town Council staff, to our small army of helpers and waterers, to our flower display supplier Mr Jorge Annaheim, to our many generous sponsors and to anyone who has helped in any way to achieve this award today. 'Three in a row' is a superb achievement and I am very proud of our community.

2008 It's Gold! Wareham in Bloom does it again!
With a summer of hard work behind us and our stunning flower displays still drawing admiring comments from our residents and visitors, I was delighted to attend the regional South and South East in Bloom awards at Crawley on 3rd September 2008, with Town Councillor and Chairman of Wareham in Bloom Eric Osmond. Rod Curtis (left), with Blue Peter TV Gardener Chris Cooper and Councillor Eric Osmond receiving Wareham's Gold Award.	Doubly delighted in fact since, following on from last year's first ever gold award, Wareham did it again, and - as all around us got Silver and Silver Gilt - we were awarded a Gold for the second consecutive year in the Small Town section. Eric and I couldn't believe our ears as we went up to receive the award from 'Blue Peter' Gardener Chris Collins. As the only town in Dorset to achieve a Gold this year, I can only echo the words of Town Mayor Malcolm Russell who said: "On behalf of the whole town of Wareham, I extend my grateful thanks to the Chairman and members of the Wareham in Bloom Committee, to Council staff, to our small army of helpers and waterers, to our plant supplier Mr Jorge Annaheim of Wareham, to our many generous sponsors and to anyone who has helped in any way to achieve this award today. Following on from our first Gold in 2007, it is a superb achievement." We now look forward with fingers crossed to receiving the news of our entry in the Britain in Bloom national finals on 24th September at Chester…watch this space! Rod Curtis, Town Clerk.

2007 A Blooming Miracle! Wareham Wins Gold! Three Major awards for Wareham in 2007
Wareham Town Council is delighted to announce that Wareham has been awarded Gold in the South & South East Regional Britain in Bloom Competition, Small Towns Section. Cllr Mary Wainwright with husband Tony and Olympic Gold Swimming Medal winner Duncan Goodhew at the Britain in Bloom regional awards presentations, Crawley, 6th September 2007. Members of the Wareham in Bloom Committee left to right: Town Clerk Rod Curtis, Mrs Renata Osmond, Mrs Irene Horne, Plants Supplier Jorge Annaheim, Chairman/Councillor Eric Osmond, Clllr Mrs Mary Wainwright, Mrs Roseanne Longstaff	Judges visited the town in early July and were highly impressed by the stunning floral displays, the recycling initiatives, the permanent planting and landscaping, the biodiversity aspects, and the cleanliness and overall tidiness of the town. The town was awarded Gold in the 'Small Towns' section in the South. Additonally, it was the only town to achieve Gold across the whole South and South East region, and achieved overall category winner - taking into account 11 other towns in the South East, the winner of that section having attained a silver gilt. Wareham therefore came 'top of the class' out of a total of 14 towns who were judged from East Dorset to Kent. Judges were also bowled over by a visit to the special project undertaken at Hauses Field in Northmoor Park by Wareham and District Development Trust in partnership with the Town Council, Town Trust and Dorset Community Action. A community parkland with something for all age groups was established from a neglected and overgrown site, all in the space of one year. This has achieved a major award on its own: the Chairman's Award for a special project in the South section. Judges comments: 'Wareham has achieved an outstanding entry this year and thoroughly deserved their Gold award and overall winner of the Small Towns category. The input from the community is second to none, especially with the 'Hauses Field' project. It is quite amazing how the scheme has developed in such a short amount of time. It encapsulates what 'In Bloom' is all about. Congratulations, Wareham's innovative floral displays using maximum vertical space in restrictive positions is a credit to the Wareham in Bloom Committee'. Wareham's Mayor, Councillor Sue Elmes says: "On behalf of the whole town of Wareham, I extend my grateful thanks to the Chairman (Councillor Eric Osmond) and members of the Wareham in Bloom Committee, to Council staff, to our small army of volunteer helpers and waterers, to our plant suppliers, to our many wonderful sponsors and fundraisers and to anyone who has helped in any way over many years to achieve this award today". Well done Wareham!

2007 Wareham in Bloom Local Competition Winners
The winning and highly commended entries selected by the Wareham in Bloom Committee for 2007 were presented with their certificates at a presentation ceremony attended by the Mayor and Cllr. Eric Osmond, Chairman of the Wareham in Bloom Committee, on Friday 19th October in the Corn Exchange.	The list of winners is as follows: BEST FRONT GARDEN - 41 Northmoor way Highly Commended - 16 Nundico BEST FRONT OF HOUSE – Habgoods Cottage – the Quay Highly Commended – 13 Mill Lane BEST ARID GARDEN – 10 Causeway Close Highly Commended – 5 Carey Road BEST STREET (one entry): Nos. 3 – 10 Drax Avenue BEST PUBLIC HOUSE – Duke of Wellington Highly Commended – Kings Arms BEST BUSINESS – Anglebury Restaurant Highly Commended – Big Dreams, Northport (Near Railway Station) BEST CIVIC BUILDING – Wareham Public Library Highly Commended – Heritage/Information Centre

2007 Best Kept Allotment Competition Winners
At the same presentations evening, the winners of the Town Council’s Best Kept Allotment Competition were also presented with their trophies. The competition was inaugurated in 2006 and is already proving a firm favourite with local allotment gardeners in Wareham. For information on allotment availability, please contact us stating your preference site – Bestwall or Northmoor – and we will put you in touch with the appropriate allotments secretary.	The list of winners is as follows: Best Plot at Bestwall Site: Cllr Les Burns Trophy Mr L Farwell – plot 62a Best Plot at Northmoor Site: Cllr Audrey Tighe Trophy Mr D Hickman – plot 21 Best Produce Trophy (for outstanding overall variety of produce): Sue Jeffries and Andrew Rankin – plot 79 Best Crop Trophy: Mr A Rutherford (for outstanding onions) – plot 16a Best Flowers Trophy (presented by Wareham in Bloom) Mr J Pitman – plot 14