It's Your Neighbourhood

Bird Scheme - Buckhaven Ae Village

Formerly known as the Neighbourhood Awards, It's Your Neighbourhood is a non-competitive campaign aimed at smaller groups or those that are just starting out to improve their local area. It has recently been redesigned by the Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom to recognise and reward groups across the country making an effort towards local environmental improvement.

The only requirements for involvement in this part of the campaign are that entrants (a) are a group and (b) have a project in mind. So if there is a problem area in your neighbourhood register now and make a start at tackling it!

Groups entering the It's Your Neighbourhood campaign are assessed rather than judged and the emphasis is very much on supporting groups to achieve their potential. Assessors are all volunteers and some have themselves taken part in Beautiful Scotland campaigns in the area where they live.

The assessors are particularly keen to see that the project involves (or is trying to involve) members of the local community. Marks are also given for environmental activities such as conservation and tackling problems with litter or graffiti as well as for gardening activities.

If you register to join the campaign, you will be sent a handbook, containing a copy of the assessment sheet that the assessors will use, as well as other relevant information.

Based on the assessments, groups will be awarded one of 5 levels of certificates that are designed to cover everyone from those just starting out to those that are well established and may even be ready to step up to the Main Campaign.

The five category of award are as follows:

It's Your Neighbourhood doesn't involve competing against other groups for trophies, as in the main campaign. However, each year Beautiful Scotland can nominate one group to be receive a National Certificate of Distinction, which will be awarded at the Britain in Bloom Award Ceremony.

Examples of the types of projects that might take part in It's Your Neighbourhood include clearing up a derelict area in a housing estate, planting flowers (or veg!) in the grounds of a community building, tidying up a verge at the side of a road - anything that attempts to clean up and green up an eyesore!