JUDGES will be in Alloa next week as the town showcases thriving projects as part of the Beautiful Scotland competition.

Alloa First and Alloa in Bloom have joined forces to enter in the businesses improvement district (BID) category to tell the story of the community's environmental improvements.

Volunteers are putting the final touches on flourishing planters and are cleaning the streets with the judges scheduled to arrive on Monday, August 8.

It comes after months of improvements around the town with a big planting day taking place earlier at the end of May, involving some 50 volunteers from various organisations and groups such as Play Alloa, TCV, council employees, Forth Valley College, St Mungo's PS and more.

This year's submission to the judges also include the Wagon's End Garden by the main car park at Candleriggs, linking to the historical and industrial past of the town.

Anthea Coulter, volunteer with Alloa in Bloom and volunteer director with Alloa First, said: “After winning Gold last year in the BID category the volunteers are keen to see our winning streak continue with lots of new work to show the judges.

“The route will start at Alloa First office where we will be showing them the new large barrels made by Forth Valley Men’s Shed on the High Street.

“The group will then move through to the new Alloa Hub for a presentation on the work through the year and to admire the new venue and the proposed outside plans for the surrounding area.

“Then it is a short walk along Shillinghill and Mill Street and round past Anna’s Larder, whose window of sweeties has been an inspiration to the group this year along with Hugh McMichael’s sensory impairment past which has influenced the planting at the new Wagon’s End Garden at the bottom of Candleriggs.

“It has been a huge collective effort to improve this sad piece of grass with many local groups involved which now celebrates Alloa’s coal mining heritage.

“The judges will then be shown new meadow areas and finish at St Mungo’s Community Garden sponsored by Alloa First and where last year’s hanging baskets were recycled – and to enjoy a welcome cup of tea in the cafe.”

As reported previously, the St Mungo's Community Garden and café hosted the launch of the Clacks Good Food project earlier in May.

Anthea added: “We hope that the tour will showcase our commitment to making Alloa a lovely floral town that is clean and well kept and bustling with life and colour.”

Juliette Camburn, of Keep Scotland Beautiful which runs the competition, said: “As we face a climate and nature emergency, this programme supports local authorities, communities and businesses to work together to help tackle biodiversity loss and local climate issues.

“We know that as we emerge from the last two years of restrictions people are eager to reconnect with nature and their communities.”

Email alloainbloom@alloafirst.co.uk to join the group.