Havering in Bloom 2026 Gardening Competition Winners Celebrated in Havering 2026

Key Points

• Residents, schools, and community groups from across the London Borough of Havering participated in the annual Havering in Bloom 2026 competition.
• Finalists and winners were celebrated at an official presentation ceremony held on Friday 18 September at Havering Town Hall in Romford.
• Certificates and B&Q gift card prizes were presented to winners by the Mayor of Havering, Councillor Maggie Themistocli.
• Gift cards were sponsored by local corporate partners Wates, Mears, SureServe, Equans, AJS, and Cube.
• The competition spanned six separate categories, highlighting private back gardens, hanging baskets, communal spaces, and tallest sunflowers.
• John Prentice of Brentwood Road, Romford, won the tallest sunflower category with an entry measuring 12 feet 2 inches, defeating last year’s winner Eric Willson by a single inch.

Romford (East London Times) September 25, 2026 – Green-fingered residents, schools, and local organisations across the London Borough of Havering have been formally recognised for their horticultural efforts following the conclusion of the annual Havering in Bloom 2026 competition. The initiative, designed to reward urban greening, floral displays, and community-driven environmental projects, culminated in an official awards ceremony hosted at Havering Town Hall in Romford on Friday 18 September. During the event, participants across six distinct competitive categories received certificates and vouchers to acknowledge their contributions to the borough’s visual landscape.

Who Won the Top Honours at the Havering in Bloom 2026 Ceremony?

The Mayor of Havering, Councillor Maggie Themistocli, officiated the presentation of certificates and gift card prizes to the top-placed entrants. The financial incentives, provided as B&Q gift cards, were funded through corporate sponsorships provided by Wates, Mears, SureServe, Equans, AJS, and Cube.

In the individual showcase categories, local residents were recognised for their maintenance of private plots, floral features, and shared neighborhood grounds. The full roster of commended finalists and winners acknowledged at the Town Hall includes:

• Lily Crosby – Osborne Road, Hornchurch
• Heather Steel – Cowper Road, Rainham
• John Fowler – Stafford Avenue, Hornchurch
• Eric Willson – Ashdown Walk, Romford
• Mr and Mrs Berkley Bathust – Wood Lane, Hornchurch
• Marie Wilkinson – Marks Roads, Romford
• Janet Triggs – Upminster Windmill
• Carol Gibson – Evelyn Sharp House
• Sue Cotterill and Bernard Murphy – Abbs Cross Lane
• Linda Bendelow – Newbury Gardens, Upminster
• Carol and Andrew Roberts – Lodge Lane, Hornchurch
• Leonard Watkinson – Bancroft Chase, Hornchurch

Educational institutions were also recognised for integrating horticultural projects into primary curricula, with awards presented to:

• Roxanne Snook – Branfil Primary School
• Tammy Ellis – Harrow Lodge Primary School

How Close Was the Competition for the Borough’s Tallest Sunflower?

The competitive highlight of the 2026 event was the contest for the borough’s tallest sunflower, which was decided by a margin of one inch between the top two entries.

John Prentice, residing at Brentwood Road, Romford, secured first place with a sunflower measured at 12 feet 2 inches. Mr Prentice narrowly surpassed previous competition winner Eric Willson, of Ashdown Walk, Romford, whose entry recorded a height of 12 feet 1 inch.

The top measurements recorded in the sunflower category were:

• First Place: John Prentice (Brentwood Road, Romford) – 12ft 2in
• Second Place: Eric Willson (Ashdown Walk, Romford) – 12ft 1in
• Third Place: Adam Parkes (Mawney Road, Romford) – 11ft 6.2in

What Did Local Officials Say About the 2026 Horticultural Entries?

Speaking during the proceedings at Havering Town Hall, Councillor Maggie Themistocli, Mayor of Havering, addressed the attendees to commend the collective effort involved in this year’s displays. Councillor Themistocli stated:

“Havering in Bloom is a wonderful celebration of the pride people take in their homes, schools and communities. I have been so impressed by the creativity, care and dedication shown by this year’s entrants. Whether it is a beautiful hanging basket, a much-loved communal garden or a sunflower reaching more than 12 feet into the air, every entry has played a part in making our Borough a brighter and more colourful place. A huge congratulations to all our winners and everyone who took part this year. Thank you for helping Havering continue to bloom.”

The ceremony concluded with formal photographic presentations alongside representatives from the sponsoring firms and local civic leaders.

Background of the Havering in Bloom Development

The Havering in Bloom contest is an annual horticultural campaign run by the London Borough of Havering Council. Rooted in traditional civic beautification schemes, the initiative aligns with wider regional and national frameworks, such as the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom network. These initiatives were historically created to encourage civic pride, boost local biodiversity, and improve the environmental quality of suburban residential areas.

In recent years, local councils across Greater London have increasingly leveraged municipal blooming competitions to support social cohesion and urban sustainability objectives. Beyond residential streetscapes, local authorities have expanded competition formats to incorporate educational establishments, social housing developments, and historical landmarks—such as the Upminster Windmill grounds featured in this year’s awards.

Corporate sponsorship models, such as Havering’s partnership with maintenance, housing, and infrastructure contractors like Wates, Mears, Equans, and AJS, have allowed local councils to sustain public recognition events and prize funding despite ongoing municipal budget constraints across the United Kingdom.

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Prediction: How This Development May Affect the Local Community

The continuation and corporate backing of the Havering in Bloom scheme is expected to influence several key segments of the local populace in the coming years:

Impact on Local Residents and Neighborhood Associations

Continued municipal recognition for residential gardens and communal spaces serves as an incentive for neighborhood-level maintenance. Increased participation in floral displays and front-garden cultivation is likely to contribute to improved street aesthetics, elevated property presentation, and enhanced localized biodiversity—supporting urban pollinators such as bees and butterflies across residential corridors in Romford, Hornchurch, Rainham, and Upminster.

Impact on Schools and Young Learners

The formal inclusion of primary schools like Branfil Primary and Harrow Lodge Primary provides structured avenues for early environmental education. Continued support for school garden projects will likely lead to greater integration of outdoor learning, biological sciences, and sustainability concepts within local primary curricula, encouraging early youth engagement with environmental stewardship.

Impact on Municipal Partnerships and Local Businesses

By securing private sector support from infrastructure and housing contractors, Havering Council establishes a repeatable template for funding community initiatives without direct reliance on public tax revenue. For commercial sponsors and home improvement retailers like B&Q, these competitions foster direct integration with local consumer markets while fulfilling corporate social responsibility (CSR) mandates within the boroughs where they operate.