SHOPS and businesses in Gravesend town centre are being encouraged to get involved in this year’s Gravesend in Bloom competition.

The town centre has once again entered the south and south east in bloom competition, which encourages communities to plant colourful floral features, as well as more permanent displays that will benefit wildlife in the long-term.

Each display will be judged in July by a team of expert judges, who will award marks based on three main categories.

The winners will then be announced at a ceremony in September.

Gravesend’s town centre management team has been signing shops and businesses up to the competition this week.

For £63, entrants will be provided with troughs and containers for their premises and will have them planted and placed in June and maintained for three months.

To sign up, contact town centre manager Graham Long on 01474 337315.