Blue Peter gardener, Chris Collins is visiting Kent schools in June and July as part of the event, organised by horticultural campaign Southern Water South & South East in Bloom.

The aim is to encourage young people of all ages - parents & teachers too to become involved in projects to improve school grounds and increase environmental educational opportunities for young people..

The Blooming Schools campaign has won two national awards - Community Campaign of the Year in the 2010 Water Industry Achievement Awards and Best Low Budget (under £50,000) Campaign in the Hollis Sponsorship Awards. It was also shortlisted in the national Edie Awards for Environmental Excellence.

Judges look at the cultivation of flowers, fruit and vegetables together with conservation efforts on the site and what actions are taken to promote a sustainable approach to the environment.

Assessment takes place in June for about an hour. The results are announced before the end of the summer term and every school entering receives a certificate with special awards and prizes being made to overall winners in each category.

This year, two previously high-achieving Kent schools are competing in an elite champion of champions section. They are Herne CE Infant and Nursery School, at Herne Bay and The Oaks Infant School at Sittingbourne.

All the schools involved will be hoping for a glorious display in time for the judging in June. The Kent awards ceremony will be held in Tunbridge Wells in September.

The list of 21 participating schools from Kent includes

Herne CE Infant and Nursery School, Herne Bay, The Oaks Infant School, Sittingbourne, Oakley School, Tunbridge Wells, Parkwood Hall School, Swanley, Capel Primary School, Tonbridge, Colliers Green CEP School, Cranbrook, Cranbrook Primary School, Five Oak Green Montessori School, Tonbridge, Hampton Primary School, Herne Bay, Hawkhurst C.of E. Primary School, Herne Bay Junior School, Herne CE Junior School, Kemsing Primary School, Little Acorns Nursery School, Herne Bay, Parkside Community Primary School, Canterbury, Reculver Church of England Primary School, Riverview Junior School, Gravesend, St Peter’s Methodist Primary School, Canterbury, Temple Hill Primary School, Dartford, The Abbey School, Faversham, Wickhambreaux CEP School, Canterbury, Christchurch C of E Junior School, Ramsgate, Joy Lane Children’s Centre, Whitstable and St Andrews Playschool, Whitstable.

For more information about South & South East in Bloom visithttp://www.sseib.com/

DID YOU KNOW?

Southern Water South & South East in Bloom is a regional environmental competition for community groups, schools and local authorities wishing to participate in Britain in Bloom.

Each year hundreds of entries are received from communities, schools, cities, towns and villages across the UK.

At its heart is the aim to get more people involved in horticulture, to benchmark their achievements in making their part of the country special and to compare how they have fared with others in the region.

Participating communities create lasting improvements to their local environment for the benefit of those that live, work and visit there, today and in the future and Southern Water South & South East in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the region.