VOLUNTEERS hoping to see Halstead win Anglia in Bloom yet again have vowed to do their best for the town – and for the memory of Michael Portway.

Today, competition judges will return to the town, scrutinising the flower displays and the town’s cleanliness.

The visit comes nearly a year after Major Michael Portway, the group’s co-founder and former chairman and president, passed away, aged 89 on July 26, 2015.

Having won the top award last year, secretary Julia Smith said they hoped to win again for the town and in Major Portway’s memory.

Halstead in Bloom secretary, Julia Smith, said: “We miss Michael all the time, but he won’t be there with his whistle to move everybody on and keep everyone within the timings, and he will be particularly missed then.

“We will do our best for Michael.

“He was our chairman up until about three years ago, and then he was our president, he has always been a guiding light for us.

“Michael championed the idea of Halstead in Bloom, we called a public meeting in early January 2000 and about 40 people turned up, some of those signed up and I believe we started with a small committee of about eight or nine and no money, we used whatever we could.

“We have come such a long way since then, and a lot of that is down to Michael.”

This year’s presentation will include a display on the Causeway celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday, a garden celebrating the 20-year anniversary of Anglia in Bloom and the public gardens will be dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of the Workers Educational Association.

Joan Gibson, a Halstead in Bloom veteran, said: “We are striving to do our very best, our utmost, we always see little things that need doing around the town, we are perfectionists.

“But everything we do is for Halstead, not Halstead in Bloom, I cannot stress that enough, the award goes to Halstead, we do this for the whole town.

“We do this so people come and visit the town, and for the people who live here, it makes them more cheerful, if the place is cared for and well looked after, it rubs off on the people who live here.”

Next Wednesday, residents are invited to Halstead Public Gardens for the Parks category judging.