For the second year in succession Scottish Widows is to sponsor cash prizes of ?100 each for two categories in Douglas in Bloom - Private Houses with Garden and Secret Gardens. Scottish Widows’ senior manager Juan Clarke said: ‘Last year we were impressed by the high standards and evident enthusiasm of gardeners who clearly had a sense of civic pride and wanted to contribute to making Douglas a greener town. We share the Council’s commitment to community involvement and are therefore pleased to be sponsoring Douglas in Bloom once again.’ Leisure services committee chairman Councillor Stephen Pitts said: ‘We are very grateful to Scottish Widows for their continued support of Douglas in Bloom which in recent years has attracted an encouraging number of entries and “unearthed” some truly exceptional horticultural talent.’ Open to all Douglas ratepayers the contest is divided into 10 categories. § Hotels and guest houses without gardens; § Hotels and guest houses with gardens; § Private houses with gardens; § Business premises; § Pub/restaurant/cafe; § Public/community garden; § Best residential area; § Best Douglas Borough Council property (house or apartment); § Conservation, wildlife and biodiversity; § Secret gardens (gardening ‘gems’ out of public view). Category winners will be presented with wall plaques crafted in wood at a prize presentation later this year in Douglas town hall. Scottish Widows is a long-standing supporter of Douglas Borough Council and for the fourth year in succession will be sponsoring the 2011 Summer Reading Challenge in association with the Henry Bloom Noble Library. Douglas in Bloom application forms are available from the Town Hall. Alternatively, to submit an entry or download a form, visit www.douglas.gov.im and follow the link. Closing date for entries is Friday July 15. ENDS