Washington Village is the home of one of the best gardening groups in the country: Washington Village in Bloom. This group of spirited volunteers, who range from aged 9 to 81, create a brighter and more picturesque village through their dedication to improve this historical town. The group has attracted many more members, with the number of volunteers doubling in the past five years.  Each volunteer has their own role and responsibility within the group. For some this is planting bulbs and shrubs, however others install bird boxes or complete daily litter picking duties.

Bringing a togetherness to the community, the gardening group have had a positive impact on Washington and have made Washington village a respected and admired place; not only by those who live in Washington but also on a national scale.

The commitment of the volunteers can easily be seen through the beautiful flower beds and arrangements as well as the awards won by the group. Every year the village enters the Northumbria in Bloom competition - a competition which allows groups to compete regionally to showcase the impact of their gardening on the community.  Although Washington Village in Bloom is set up in a relatively small community, they have collected multiple awards in this competition. In five of the last six years, they have won gold in the 'village' category and been awarded 'best overall village' in 2019, 2021 and 2022.  Most impressively, in 2022, the group were invited to compete in the National Britain in Bloom competition and were one of only four UK villages to get the prestigious GOLD award.  Joan Atkinson, the chairperson for the group, described the achievements as 'truly amazing'.

Following on from their success, the group plan to continue their work to improve the aesthetics of the village and develop their current projects.  There's even special plans on the horizon surrounding the King's coronation.  Ms Atkinson tells everyone to 'watch this space!'