CANADIAN judges have awarded Llandudno in Bloom two international honours.

The town received a Five Blooms Silver rating in the 2018 International Symposium and Awards Ceremonies in Strathcona County, Alberta, and Ysgol San Sior was given a special mention for its focus on environmental learning.

Llandudno in Bloom participated in the International Challenge (Large) category along with towns in Canada, Belgium and Hungary.

Over the summer, volunteer judges travelled to participating communities to evaluate the overall contributions of municipalities; the private sector, and volunteer efforts. They judged entrants on: tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape and floral displays.

Judges Gérald Lajeunesse and Mauro Paradisi wrote: “San Sior School is unique in its methods of education; in fact one would be hard-pressed to find an equivalent in most regions of Europe. The students are exposed to a panoply of environmental interests such as food production, care of the environment and nature. Initiatives include raising and caring for exotic animals and reptiles, growing and sustaining a veggie garden, managing an apiary and the production and sale of honey, raising chicken and selling eggs.

“These activities have built a unique connection with nature and earth as well as teamwork and collective support. The students are equally at ease expressing and sharing their knowledge and interests in their school, a school that they all appear to enjoy and relish. It was a joy to visit and experience.”

Headmaster of Ysgol San Sior, Ian Keith Jones said: “This accolade, along with winning the Wales in Bloom best schools garden in Wales, and the visit of the Prince of Wales has made 2018 a triumphant year for the school, particularly our children.

"They are the ones who should take most of the credit, they showed the judges around the school as they did with Prince Charles. It is wonderful to have the recognition, but we don’t do it for awards, we do it because we firmly believe environmental education raises standards across the entire curriculum.”

Chairman Llandudno in Bloom, cllr Louise Emery, said: “This international competition focuses more on how communities look after the area. In Llandudno we have a number of groups which do just that, and this is why we achieved a silver award the first time we entered this competition.

“This sitting alongside the gold award we achieved in Wales in Bloom we’ve had a successful year for Llandudno in Bloom.”

Mayor of Llandudno, cllr David Hawkins, said: “We met the international judges and they were shown around the town for their judgements. We are really proud of Llandudno and Ysgol San Sior. It showed the commitment of the people of Llandudno to presenting the town at its best, and to the innovative teaching of Ysgol San Sior, and it is a tribute to them.

“It was a massive achievement and we were blessed with a beautifully sunny day, and against the backdrop of the sea and the Great Orme they saw how stunning and elegant the town it is, totally justifying its nickname: the Queen of Resorts.”