Ahead of the launch of the 2015 RHS Britain in Bloom campaign, Europe’s biggest community gardening movement, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is announcing Chris Beardshaw as an RHS ambassador, with a special focus on promoting community gardening.
Chris will join Alan Titchmarsh, Mary Berry, Adam Frost, James Wong and Nick Knowles to champion the joy and benefits of gardening and support the UK’s gardening charity, the RHS.
Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, said: “I’m thrilled that Chris is joining us as an RHS ambassador to support and promote this life-enriching campaign. Chris is one of Britain’s best-known and best-loved gardeners and has long been involved with, and championed, community gardening projects. He is a close friend of Nick Knowles, who also has a keen interest in supporting our community gardening campaigns.
“RHS Britain in Bloom volunteers invest upwards of 10 million hours a year into greening up and cleaning up Britain’s villages, towns and cities. These volunteers create safer, happier environments, where crime is reduced, and transform disused spaces into beautiful places where communities come together and engage with each other.
“It’s critical we celebrate the incredible achievements of Bloom and the volunteers’ hard work, as well as encouraging more people to join in,” said Sue Biggs.
“Without Bloom and its army of volunteers our streets would be more littered, our parks less cared for and as many as 5 million fewer plants may not be grown in community plots. We’re delighted with Chris’s support and look forward to working with him more over the coming years.”
Chris Beardshaw said: “I’ve been involved in many community gardening projects over the years and have seen first-hand the incredibly positive impact they can have on people living in the area and involved in gardening. They create friendships in streets where people didn’t even say hello, and make brighter, more beautiful places to live. It’ll be a privilege to celebrate the work of the Bloom volunteers and encourage more people to get involved.”
Chris will join Adam Frost on Friday 10 April to launch RHS Britain in Bloom 2015 with a special community transformation project, and he has other projects already planned over the year.
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