The gardens were alive with colour, creativity, and community spirit last Friday as we celebrated our annual “Athena in Bloom” competition. Now in its fourth year, the event brought together all our homes across East Anglia — alongside colleagues, residents, and families — to honour the incredible work that goes into making our outdoor spaces welcoming, vibrant, and full of life.
With 16 awards up for grabs, and an overall winner, it made for an afternoon of celebration, as we announced who would be taking the coveted Athena Silver Spade.
This year there was an amazing community spirit with all our homes, the central support office and regional colleagues joining the celebration via a live stream.
Since the launch last September, the homes have focussed on activities each month to get the spaces ready for this year’s judges. Our awards took in a range of categories, and we asked for a strong focus on resident and community engagement, with our core values being at the heart of the competition.
This year, our overall winners were Goodwins Hall, who also took home awards for:
Planning for the Year Ahead
Best Spring Garden
Best Sensory Garden
and Tallest Sunflower
A massive congratulations to the whole team, without whom Goodwins’ success would not have been possible.
Additionally, we had 12 other awards that were awarded as follows:
Bringing the Outside In: Ashlynn Grange Care Home
Best Festive Garden: Avocet Court
Best Wildlife Conservation Project: Avocet Court
Best Allotment: Amberley Hall Care Home
Best Intergenerational Games Area: Aria Court
Best Garden Showpiece: Langdon House
Best First Impression: Ashlynn Grange
Best Use of Home-Grown Flowers and Produce: Ashlynn Grange
Best Gardening Club: Aria Court Care Home
Best Progress Journey: Alex Wood House
Best Judging Day Celebration: Avocet Court
We are so proud of every home that took part and can’t wait to see what next year’s “Athena in Bloom” brings. Here’s to even more blooming gardens, thriving communities, and unforgettable moments in 2026!
