£100 vouchers up for grabs in our gardening competition

Today, our ‘Budding Neighbourhoods’ competition returns for 2022 to celebrate our green-fingered customers and your gardening efforts.

Customers can bag £100 worth of vouchers for your winning entry. The online-only competition runs from today, Monday 25 July 2022 until 5pm on Friday 12 August 2022, and entries should showcase your planting and growing efforts in your home and/or garden.

There are three categories in the competition, which are: A Brew and My View, which allows residents to show off their planting efforts (both outside and inside) while enjoying a cuppa; My Garden Harvest, focusing on customers who have grown their own food items, and Garden Genius, highlighting the inventive ways residents have recycled or re-used items in their garden.

Emma Cafferky, our Stronger Communities Manager, said: “We’re delighted to bring Budding Neighbourhoods back once again for 2022, as it really shines a spotlight on our customers who keep their homes and gardens looking lovely, and celebrates all their efforts.

“We’ve seen some gorgeous gardens already this year, and the recent hot weather has surely helped flowers, plants, vegetables and green spaces flourish. Our competition is inclusive of all our communities – including those customers who might not have an outdoor area. By creating opportunities to celebrate growing food and re-using items, we’re also helping to promote sustainable living which is a big part of our focus here at FCHO.”

We want to see as many entries as possible and encourage all customers to take part. Entries can be made via completing a form and uploading images to our website www.fcho.co.uk/BuddingNeighbourhoods.

If you need support with digital submissions, please email our Stronger Communities team at ci@fcho.co.uk or call 0161 393 7117.

Emma added “The Covid-19 pandemic really limited what people have been able to do over the last couple of years and being out in the garden or channelling your inner creativity in your home can really help wellbeing, and anything that improves our customers’ quality of life is something we’re keen to support.

“It’s not about being the biggest or the best, and it’s certainly not about who has spent the most money. It’s about having a go, using your imagination, thinking outside the box, being thrifty (especially in the Garden Genius category) and having pride in your achievements in your communities.”

The winners will be contacted in September and winning images will be shared on our website and social media channels.

Good luck to all!