Pictured with the Hillsborough ‘Large Village’ plaque from the Translink Ulster in Bloom 2015 Awards are: (R-L) the Mayor, Councillor Thomas Beckett; Dawn Mitchell McIntee, Hillsborough & District Committee; Councillor Brian Hanvey, Chairman of the Council’s Environmental Services Committee and Heather Moore, Director of Environmental Services.

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council celebrated its success in the 2015 Translink Ulster in Bloom Awards when Hillsborough received its ‘Large Village’ plaque at a recent event in Belfast Harbour Commissioner’s Office.

This charming village is no stranger to floral awards and both the Council and the Hillsborough & District Committee are delighted with this latest addition to the trophy cabinet.

Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Thomas Beckett, said: “It is excellent news that one of our charming villages has been awarded a floral accolade and one of the first awards received by the new Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council. This is an excellent indication of the good working relationship between the Council and a local community.”

The 2015 event marks the 37th year of the annual horticultural competition which encourages cities, towns and villages right across Northern Ireland to look their best, boosting civic pride through beautiful plant and floral displays.

Councillor Brian Hanvey, Chairman of the Council’s Environmental Services Committee, speaking about the Award, said: “I was delighted to be part of the delegation to receive this award for Hillsborough from NILGA and the event sponsor Translink. It was a great opportunity to meet with other community groups and councils from across Northern Ireland to see how each makes their areas festive in bloom.

“Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is committed to visually stunning towns and villages and the hard work and dedication of the Council staff and the local community has been regionally recognised with this ‘Large Village’ Award. The Parks Gardening Team always works diligently throughout the Council area to ensure that all the floral beds and displays have every opportunity to bloom and flourish with each season.

“We are now getting underway with preparations in partnership with the Hillsborough & District Committee to plant this season’s floral displays to hopefully retain this title in 2016,” concluded Councillor Hanvey.