Linlithgow celebrates winning a silver medal at Beautiful Scotland awards

Sep 24 2009 by Debbie Hall, West Lothian Courier

LINLITHGOW has received a silver medal in the prestigious Beautiful Scotland awards.

Representatives from the town were handed a certificate this week at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen.

The certificate recognised the hard work the local community has put in to successfully transform the local environment.

The town was pipped at the post by Cupar in Fife.

On Linlithgow, which was entered in the medium town category, Beautiful Scotland judges said: “The bedding, planters and hanging baskets were of the very highest quality despite the less than pleasant weather in the period just prior to the judging.

“The Water Yett gardens near the car park, which are maintained by elderly residents, really brighten up this area.”

Linlithgow was competing with 71 other communities from across Scotland in the 2009 Beautiful Scotland campaign and was visited by highly experienced assessors during a national judging tour in August to discover the most clean, sustainable and beautiful community in Scotland.

The judges assessed under three themes: horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation.

John Summers OBE, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said, “The Beautiful Scotland campaign helps communities develop a sense of pride in, and improve their area, and in the year of Homecoming it has been more important than ever that Scotland has looked its best.

“I am delighted that so many communities have got involved in Beautiful Scotland this year, and must pay tribute to the hundreds of local people up and down the country who have worked tirelessly in their free time for the benefit of others.”