Last Thursday was a proud day for our town as we welcomed the judges from the South West In Bloom competition.

This year marks our bid for a 16th consecutive gold award, and it was an honour to showcase the hard work and dedication that goes into making Newquay such a beautiful and vibrant place to live and visit.

My day began at Hendra Holiday Park where I had the pleasure of meeting the judges and discussing our town’s commitment to biodiversity enhancement. It was fantastic to hear their positive feedback on our policies and the steps we’re taking to protect and nurture our natural environment.

From there, the judges were treated to a tour of Newquay aboard our wonderful land train, expertly hosted by the incredible Newquay in Bloom team. They made stops at key locations across town, taking in the stunning floral displays, community projects, and green spaces that make our town so special.

I rejoined them later in the morning at the Killacourt, where they admired the wildflower beds planted four years ago by the children of Trenance School a brilliant example of how our community comes together to create lasting beauty.

They were also impressed with our Killacourt Retail Quarter, which provides vital start-up space for small businesses and supports local employment. The day concluded with a lovely lunch at the picturesque Trenance Cottages, a perfect setting to reflect on all that Newquay has to offer.

A huge thank you to everyone involved, from the Newquay in Bloom volunteers to the local businesses, schools, and council teams who work tirelessly to keep our town looking its best. The judges left with a clear sense of why Newquay is so special, and I’m hopeful for another gold when the results are announced in October. Let’s keep up the fantastic work, Newquay truly is a town to be proud of.

A cloudy, changeable week ahead. There will be an odd good day with generally light winds.

Commercial fishing with brown crabs is better now offshore. There are plenty of Cornish King Crabs, but markets are quiet for them abroad. Still plenty of small mackerel around as well. The under 16 rowing event on Sunday was won by St Marys IOS, Cadgwith second and Newquay eighth.

Saturday is the Atkinson Race from the Gannel. There are no band this Saturday in Rowing Club, but on Sunday at 3pm, Rowing Club Singers, and group called Stargazy are singing in the club. All welcome.

Thought for the week: “Your best teacher is your last mistake.”