Washington Village Triumphs at Northumbria in Bloom Awards

Washington Village has swept the board at this year's Northumbria in Bloom awards, taking home multiple top honours and earning the coveted title of Best Overall Entry.

The village was named Best Village and awarded Gold in its category. Further gold awards went to the volunteers of Holy Trinity Church graveyard in the Conservation category and to Liberty Green rockery and Box Bed in the Residential category. Washington Old Hall also received a Silver Gilt in the Paying Entries category.

In a standout moment, Joan Atkinson, Chair of Washington in Bloom was personally honoured with the RHS Community Engagement Award, recognising her outstanding leadership and dedication. Joan has been invited to the RHS headquarters in London next month to celebrate this national recognition.

Speaking to a room of over 300 attendees, the Chair of Northumbria in Bloom praised Washington Village's achievements, stating that the village had "wiped the board" and encouraged other entrants to look to Washington as a benchmark for excellence.

Northumberland in Bloom is an annual campaign that encourages community groups to enhance their local environments through gardening and environmental work. It is part of the wider Britain in Bloom initiative.

Councillor Beth Jones, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism, said: "This is an incredible achievement and a testament to the hard work, pride and passion of our volunteers and community groups.

"Washington in Bloom has been supported by our ward councillors through Community Chest funding, which has helped bring many of these projects to life and we will continue to support the efforts of the group.

"I'd like to say a big congratulations to Joan on her award win, as her dedication and hard work truly deserve this recognition.

"These awards reflect the strength of our partnerships and the commitment to making our area a beautiful, welcoming place for all."

The Washington in Bloom success highlights the power of community-led environmental action and the lasting impact of local pride.

Joan Atkinson, Chair of Washington in Bloom said: "In many ways the most rewarding aspect of our achievements over the years has always been working with a dedicated team of enthusiastic volunteers and our engagement with so many local community groups."