Businesses Blooming - Silver Gilt Award for Orpington 1st!

Orpington 1st Business Improvement District was awarded Silver Gilt at this year's London in Bloom awards, in recognition of its horticultural efforts, business involvement and community engagement across a range of environmental projects.

The accolade was awarded in the Town Centre and BID category at a ceremony held at Mile End Park on 20th September. Bloom has been celebrating and recognising the passion Londoners have for greening our Capital city for 52 years, aiming to make Greater London a greener and more pleasant place to live and visit.


Along with the business community's floral displays, which judges felt made a major contribution to the look of the town, Orpington 1st's second entry into London in Bloom drew together a number of projects, including the Living Scarecrow Trail, waste management scheme, a World Ocean Day event, clean ups and graffiti removal.


A new addition to the town this year was the Pop Up Pallet Park, described as an innovative way of brightening up what was a drab, underutilised space.


Orpington 1st Executive Director Sharon Baldwin, said, "We are delighted to receive the Silver Gilt award. I would like to thank all the businesses and individuals who assisted with our entry this year and we look forward to continuing our work to enhance our town centre's Look & Feel for the benefit of all who use it. We have some great ideas for next year and we'll certainly be aiming to go one better, growing for gold!"