It’s Your Neighbourhood
Awards
RHS It's Your Neighbourhood Awards
RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood is a unique scheme for volunteer led community gardening projects/groups who are focused on improving their local environment through community gardening.
Almost any outdoor site being looked after by the local community qualifies for this scheme. RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood is an inclusive, non-competitive scheme and a group can be made up of any number of community volunteers.
It's Your
Neighbourhood
The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) It’s Your Neighbourhood campaign is part of the wider Britain in Bloom initiative, providing an opportunity for smaller community groups to get involved. In the Northumbria region it is managed on behalf of the RHS by Northumbria in Bloom
RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood is a unique scheme for volunteer led community gardening projects/groups who are focused on improving their local environment through community gardening. They can be working in their local street, estate where they live, a back alley they share with their neighbours, or the local community centre’s outdoor space. Almost any outdoor site being looked after by the local community qualifies for this scheme. RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood is an inclusive, non-competitive scheme, a group can be made up of any number of community volunteers.
If you are new to the RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme, we would suggest that you visit the RHS Website, rhs.org.uk search for “Support & Resources for It’s Your Neighbourhood Groups”, and download “Guidance Notes for Participants”. This will give you a clearer view on how the scheme works and will help you understand what the IYN Assessor will be looking for when they assess your project.
All entries will be assessed by an RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood assessor between July and early August. The awards will be announced, and certificates presented, at our main awards presentation event in September, which is held in Gateshead.
How Do I Get Started?
Getting involved is very easy, in fact, you only need 2 things:
1. A group
2. An idea for a project
Once you have these things, you are ready to get started
Who should enter It’s Your Neighbourhood?
This award is for volunteer community groups who are greening their local environment, for instance residents working together to improve their street, ‘Friends’ improving their churchyard or local park or perhaps an allotment or community orchard group.
It’s non-competitive and any group in the Region may enter, whether or not they’re involved in the Northumbria in Bloom competition.
How is the group assessed?
An experienced Northumbria in Bloom Assessor will visit in the summer to hear about your group’s work and see your achievements. They can give valuable feedback and advice on how to develop your activities and encourage future progress.
Achievements are assessed under three headings:
- Community Participation (40% of marks)
- Environmental Responsibility (30% of marks)
- Gardening Achievement (30% of marks)
What is the Award?
The group will receive an RHS Certificate of Achievement. It will reflect which of these five levels has been achieved:
- Level 1 Establishing 0 – 35 points
- Level 2 Improving 36 – 52 points
- Level 3 Advancing 53 – 68 points
- Level 4 Thriving 69 – 85 points
- Level 5 Outstanding 86 – 100 points
How can we enter?
You can enter for IYN using the online application form. The entry deadline is 25 June 2024 and there is no entry fee.
Please note that if your group is entering for a ‘Special Award’ in the Northumbria in Bloom competition, you may not also enter It’s Your Neighbourhood.
Where can I find out more?
For a fuller description of assessment look at the RHS website, where you can also find some useful information about support and volunteer group insurance..
For more detail about assessment look at the Assessment Form.
For any queries, contact Sabina Rose, our IYN Co-ordinator, at iyn@northumbriainbloom.co.uk.
