PRESENTATION EVENING: Groups from across Lowestoft have been honoured as part of a campaign that helps communities clean up, and green up, their local environment.

A total of 12 groups from across the Lowestoft area were honoured last Friday with certificates for their hard work as part of the Royal Horticultural Societies Its Your Neighbourhood campaign.

The chairman of Waveney District Council, Peter Collecott, presented the awards at the Hollingsworth Road Community Hall in north Lowestoft.

Brian Thornton, the president of Anglia in Bloom, said: 'The Its your Neighbourhood campaign is a Royal Horticultural Society initiative and it is about community participation. Any group that cares about their community can take part. It is not a competition but a campaign to help the group to improve with the scheme being similar to the Anglia in Bloom campaign.'

With the neighbourhood initiative being 'a benchmark' that is the level used to recognise and applaud the achievements of the participants, honours were awarded in five levels – establishing; improving; developing; thriving and outstanding.

The 12 groups honoured on the night were, Jeannie Mann Court, Gunton Community Association, Beeches Estate Residents Association, Kone Garden Project, Gunton Community Park Project, Corton Woods Project, Friends of Nicholas Everitt Park, Broadland Residential home, Bonds Meadow Community Association, Gunton Woods Project, Kirkley Business Association and Corton Village – with these latter three groups collecting an 'outstanding' honour.

With regional judges assessing the neighbourhood schemes, Anglia in Bloom covers the six counties of East Anglia, Mr Thornton said: 'There are almost 200 schemes in the region and each judge assesses the various groups and arranges the presentation in their area. We are fortunate in Lowestoft to have 12 excellent groups and these are increasing every year.'