Farnham celebrates outstanding success at South & South East in Bloom Awards

Farnham had much to celebrate at the 2026 South & South East in Bloom Awards on Friday (25 September).

Farnham Town Council’s ‘Farnham in Bloom’ campaign enjoyed outstanding success, with the town taking home a bumper crop of Gold Awards.

Farnham was awarded Gold and Best in Category for its Town/City Centre entry, recognising the town centre’s high standards of planting, floral displays, environmental projects and community involvement.

There was further success across the town’s cemeteries, with Gold awards for West Street Cemetery in the Large Cemetery category, Badshot Lea Cemetery and Hale Cemetery in the Small Cemetery category.

Farnham Train Station also received a Gold award, recognising the efforts to create an attractive and welcoming gateway to the town.

Iain Lynch, who has recently stepped down after 15 years as Town Clerk at Farnham Town Council, received special recognition with the presentation of the Chairman’s Award. The award recognises Iain’s long-standing support of Farnham in Bloom and how he has encouraged new ideas, championed investment in Farnham’s green spaces, and recognised the enormous contribution made by residents, volunteers, schools, community groups and local businesses. Under his leadership and belief in what Farnham in Bloom can achieve, Farnham has gained national recognition and built a reputation for excellence that extends far beyond the town.

A number of Farnham-based community groups were also recognised through the It’s Your Neighbourhood awards. Hale Community Centre and Bourne Conservation Group were awarded ‘Level 4: Thriving’, while Badshot Lea Bloomers, Space2Grow and Friends of the Garden of Reflection (West Street Cemetery) were judged ‘Level 5: Outstanding’.

Councillor Mat Brown, Lead Member for Environment at Farnham Town Council says: “With the extreme heat and town centre roadworks, 2026 was a particularly challenging year for Farnham in Bloom so I consider it to be an incredible achievement for us to be recognised in this way. These awards are a wonderful reflection of the time, enthusiasm and commitment of our volunteers, community groups, businesses and partners. We are incredibly proud of everyone who has played a part in this year’s success.

“From our town centre and cemeteries to Farnham train station and community projects across the town, there are so many people working behind the scenes to make Farnham a greener, more beautiful and welcoming place. I am grateful to all our sponsors, particularly our Gold supporters, which include Squire’s Garden Centre, Farnham Institute Charity and Make if Farnham. I also extend a huge thank you to our volunteers, whose contributions enables us to achieve so much and make a positive difference to our town.”

The South & South East in Bloom awards are a celebration of communities across the region that are working to improve their local environment through horticulture, sustainability, community participation and environmental initiatives.

Farnham’s results are a testament to the continued commitment of the people and organisations who work throughout the year to make a positive difference across the town. If you would like to get involved in litter picks, helping out with gardening tasks or joining a Friends of…. Group, visit the Farnham in Bloom pages to find out more about the year-round activities on offer.