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East Leeds village scoops Britain in Bloom accolade
Volunteers in Barwick-in Elmet were today celebrating scooping a coveted gold award in Europe's biggest gardening competition.
Click here for a full run down of the 21 YEP community sites launched around Leeds to date.
Barwick-in Elmet carried off the honour in the large village category of the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Britain In Bloom Awards.
It was recognition of months of hard work put in by gardening enthusiasts from the village, which last year won the Yorkshire In Bloom competition to earn the right to represent the county in the national contest.
And one of the Barwick team, Frank Noble, was named a RHS Britain In Bloom Community Champion.
There was also success for another Leeds village with Kippax winning silver in the urban community section. Ilkley won silver gilt in the town category.
The awards were presented at a ceremony in Torbay attended by over 450 community and gardening champions and hosted by Toby Buckland, presenter of BBC's Gardeners' World programme.
More than 1,100 communities took part in the competition and 67 finalists were chosen to represent their region. Each entry was judged on its floral displays, landscaping, sustainable development, environmental initiatives, public awareness and community participation.
Roger Burnett, chairman of the national judging panel, said: "2009 finalists have been outstanding. The team of 14 judges has found tremendous standards.
"The trend over the past few years to plant more sustainable species is really beginning to take root in many of the communities with imaginative plant combinations providing year round interest.
"This is more prevalent in the smaller communities, who, despite the economic climate continue to be innovative and resourceful .
"My fellow judges and I are often surprised and privileged to witness
first hand what can be achieved in the smallest village to the largest city and we look forward to welcoming more and more communities into the campaign year on year."
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Weather for Leeds
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
