‘OAT in Bloom’ 2024
For this year’s ‘OAT in Bloom’ competition, OAT is joining in with the theme of ‘friendship’ for the 60th anniversary of Britain in Bloom.
You are invited to get involved, and the hope is that this event will inspire each OAT academy and their communities to make positive changes to their local environment through horticultural, environmental, and community action.
This is an exciting time for all you green fingered students, staff, parents, and families to get gardening. Whether you are planting hanging baskets or raised planters, from vegetables patches to gardens, whatever you choose to grow and nurture, now is your time to shine.
How to submit:
Please submit evidence of your gardening project as photos by email to the eco team via the link.
Submission guidelines:
Deadline to submit: Wednesday 31 July 2024.
Competition categories and requirements:
| Best wild meadow | The goal of this category is allowing an area to return to nature and allow biodiversity to flourish. |
| Best garden design on paper | The goal of this category is to submit a garden designed on paper, fully annotated with a minimum of 5 labels explaining the garden design. |
| Most colourful display | The goal of this category is to create the most colourful planting display with the most impact |
| Best mini marvel | The goal of this category is to effectively utilise space and create a visual display of colour creatively with design and layout in a miniature space. |
| Best raised bed, container planting, including hanging baskets | The goal of this category is to effectively grow within raised beds, containers or in hanging baskets, being resourceful and eco-friendly in what is being used as containers |
| Best vegetable patch/fruit orchard/greenhouse | The goal of this category is to showcase the sustainability of food growing and its benefits for health and wellbeing. |
| Best community garden | The goal of this category is to develop an outdoor space that improves the local community/neighbourhood/friendship |
Winners will be announced:
In September 2024, and the seven category winners will receive prizes to further support gardening and environmental work.
Sharing your news on school socials:
Please use #OATBlooms to share any news or updates as this competition progresses.
Competition launches: w/c 8 January 2024
Deadline for entries: 31 July 2024
Winners announced: Early September 2024
For further information about the OAT In Bloom competition please email the Eco Team or Rachel McCarthy, National Eco-Lead, using these links.