AN AWARD-winning charity has added three more gongs to its collection.

Inspero, based in Old Worting Road, were presented with three awards at the South East in Bloom Awards 2019 following on from the charity’s success at last year’s awards.

The charity which aims to empower, support and inspire young people and their families to lead healthy lifestyles by learning about food, kept its Gold award for its horticulture and Forest School work, as well as receiving an RHS (Royal Horticulture Society) Level 5 ‘outstanding’ for its Kempshott charity community garden beside Stratton Park.

Chief executive at Inspero, Catherine Waters-Clark, said the most surprising win was being presented with the prestigious Chairman’s award, which the organisation gained for all the wonderful work that the charity delivers in the Basingstoke community.

Mrs Waters-Clark said: “We couldn’t believe it when the Chairman Peter Holman, starting talking about all our projects, we all looked at one another thinking we recognise the names; our signature project Love2Grow and a few others and then announced Inspero as the winner, this is such a competition event where we are up against organisations and councils, some of them with million pound horticulture budgets.

“The team did shed a few tears and are absolutely elated to win and be recognised in this way.”

In the past seven years Inspero have seen how horticulture, the outdoors and people contributing to their communities can play a huge part in people’s well-being.

Mrs Waters-Clark added: “Within such a big town as Basingstoke, it brings a sense of community and belonging as well as helping to keep people active, improving emotional, physical and mental health and giving people access to organic food grown locally.”

Inspero runs a range of classes and services from the community garden at Stratton Park, including Grow & Cook classes for children, corporate employee volunteering days, student volunteering days through the National Citizen Service (NCS) and an Adult Green Therapy Club.

For more information on Inspero programmes, please visit www.inspero.org.uk, what’s happening page or email info@inspero.org.uk.