Blossoming Spaces Competition

1. The competition is not open to the immediate families of National Trust employees or Birmingham City Council Parks and Green Spaces employees.

2. All information made available to entrants as part of the process of entering the competition forms part of these terms and condition

3. The following children and young people who satisfy both of the following requirements are eligible to enter the competition.

• 3.1 Those who fall within one of the age categories in paragraph 4 below; and
• 3.2 Those who regularly attend an organisation whose purpose includes providing a service for children or young people (such as, but not limited to, a school, college, scouting group, youth centre, or library) located in one of the East Birmingham wards set out in paragraph 5 below (an “Eligible Organisation”).

4. The age categories are:

• 4.1 the child must be in Year Five for the academic year 2025 to 2026 or turn ten on or before 31st August 2026 (the “Primary Age Category”); or
• 4.2 the young person must be in Year Eight for the academic year 2025 to 2026 or turn thirteen on or before 31st August 2026 (the “Secondary Age Category”).

5. Eligible East Birmingham wards are: Alum Rock, Bordesley Green, Bordesley & Highgate, Bromford & Hodge Hill, Glebe Farm & Tile Cross, Heartlands, Pype Hayes, Shard End, Small Heath, South Yardley, Tyseley & Hay Mills, Ward End, Yardley East, Yardley West & Stechford.

6. An entrant may enter the competition once only.

7. An entry can only by created by an individual, not a group.

8. An entry must be submitted on behalf of the entrant by an adult aged 18 or over who is an employee or volunteer at an Eligible Organisation. An adult may submit entries on behalf of more than one entrant.

9. An adult who submits an entry on behalf of an entrant accepts the terms and conditions on behalf of the entrant.

10. Each entry must contain a design for a blossom space in a site on public green land owned by Birmingham City Council (the "Site"). A blossom space is a plot of grass which has a variety of blossom trees and plants planted directly into the grass/soil.

Entrants in the Primary Age Category can select from the following Sites:

• Marlborough House Community Park; or
• Heath Way; or
• Ideal Village Park.

Entrants in the Secondary Age Category may design for the Stechford Hall Park Site only.

11. Each entrant must select a certain number of trees, plants and nature promoters in accordance with parameters set out in the Guidance Pack using the Botanical Fact Cards, also found in the Guidance Pack - see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blossoming-spaces.

• 11.1 Each entrant must draw and cut/stick the trees, plants and nature promoters they wish to include onto their official Blossoming Spaces Entry Sheet (the "Entry Sheet"), in their preferred layout following the instructions included in the Guidance Pack.
• 11.2 Each entrant must then provide a written explanation/justification for their design in the space provided on the Entry Sheet.

12. All guidance, instructions, Entry Sheets, Registration Forms and supporting competition materials can be downloaded from www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blossoming-spaces. Physical copies can be posted for free on request by emailing Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk.

13. The entrant must create their design on the Entry Sheet specified for their selected site and ensure all sections are completed. All Entry Sheets must be accompanied by a Registration Form completed by the adult submitting on behalf of the entrant. One Registration Form may accompany multiple Entry Sheets.

14. To submit entries, the adult can:

• 14.1. Scan and email all Entry Sheets and the Registration Form to Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk with the Eligible Organisation’s name, entrant(s)’s age category, and the words "Blossoming Spaces Competition" in the subject header. Attachments should be in a PDF format.

OR

• 14.2. Post all the Blossoming Spaces Entry Sheets and Registration Form to the following address: Blossoming Spaces Competition, Birmingham Back to Backs, 55-63 Hurst Street/50-54 Inge Street, Birmingham B5 4TE. Pre-paid envelopes for submitting entries may be requested by emailing Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk.

15. All submissions must be received via one of the methods indicated by 12pm on Friday 5 December 2025 (the ‘Closing Date’).

16. Responsibility cannot be taken for entries that are corrupted, lost, delayed, mislaid, or damaged in the post. If entries are posted, these will not be returned.

17. Each winner will be required to grant the National Trust a licence to use their copyright and other intellectual property rights in their entry to reproduce the design and alter it as necessary to enable the design to be realised.

18. Entries will be judged against a set of criteria which can be found in the Guidance Packs, with marks allocated for each set of criteria www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blossoming-spaces.

19. All entries will be assessed by an initial panel of judges before shortlisted entries are judged again using the same criteria. For information about the judges see the Guidance Pack www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blossoming-spaces.

20. In the case of a tied score, the Head Judge will have the final say on the winning entry.

21. All decisions by the judges are final and feedback will not be provided on individual entries.

22. Notification of winning entries will be made by 5th January 2026. The adult will be emailed via the contact details they provided on the Registration Form.

23. There will be one winner for each site (four in total). The prizes for the winning entrant of each site are below:

• a. Their design physically created at the site;
• b. A National Trust Family Pass which allows one free entry for up to two adults and three children to any National Trust property;
• c. A £25 gift voucher for Blue Diamond;
• d. Certificate.

24. Each winner will win, for the benefit of their Eligible Organisation, the following prizes:

• a. A 2-hour session with the landscapers creating the Blossom Space to be delivered during January 2026 for up to 30 students (time and date to be agreed with the National Trust);
• b. One free Blossom craft workshop delivered during March 2026 for up to 150 students (time and date to be agreed with the National Trust);
• c. A blossom tree & suitable tree pot.

25. Events may occur that may render the competition itself or the awarding of the prizes impossible due to reasons beyond our control and accordingly we may vary or amend the promotion. We will do everything we reasonably can to ensure that participants receive prizes of at least equal value.

26. Each winning entrant’s design will be created at the relevant sites by an external gardening company between January and March 2026, creating a physical version of their Blossom Space design. Whilst the blossom space created will reflect the winning design as much as possible, some changes or adaptions to the winning design may be necessary due to logistics, supplies or other unexpected circumstances.

27. No cash alternative will be made. Prizes are non-transferable.

28. We must either publish or make available information that indicates that a valid award took place. Ordinarily this will be the surname and county of major prize-winners and, if applicable, their winning entries. If you object to the entrant’s information being published or made available on request or wish to reduce the amount of information to be published or made available, please email us at Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk. In such circumstances, we must still provide the information and winning entry to the Adverting Standards Authority if challenged.

29. Subject to each prize-winner’s legal guardian’s consent we would aim to use the winner’s details and photograph in post-event publicity on National Trust channels including the website and magazine, as well as in press releases which may be picked up by local media.

30. Personal data supplied during this competition will be processed as set out in our privacy policy www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/privacy-policy

31. By entering the competition you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.

32. These terms and conditions are governed by English law, and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

33. This competition is promoted by The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (Registered Charity Number 205846) of Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA.

An adult (over the age of 18) staff member or volunteer of an eligible organisation as outlined in the Terms and Conditions must submit an entrant’s submission on their behalf. If you aren’t sure if your organisation or group qualifies as an eligible organisation, please contact us at Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk with specific details and we will be able to advise further.

There are two ways to facilitate entering the competition on behalf of the entrant/s:

1. Download the attachments and use the resources to support the group to complete the Blossoming Spaces entry sheet. Submit the completed entry sheets either:
   • By post to Blossoming Spaces Competition, Birmingham Back to Backs, 55-63 Hurst Street/50-54 Inge Street, Birmingham B5 4TE, or
   • Scan and email all Entry Sheets and the Registration Form to Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk with the Eligible Organisation’s name, entrant(s)’s age category, and the words "Blossoming Spaces Competition" in the subject header. Attachments should be in a PDF format.
2. Book a free two-hour workshop, led by the National Trust, where we will use the resources and our expertise to support the group to complete the Blossoming Spaces entry sheet. All materials will be provided, so there will no need to download/print any resources. Workshops will be tailored to either the Primary or Secondary age category as appropriate. Submit the completed entry sheets either:
   • By post to Blossoming Spaces Competition, Birmingham Back to Backs, 55-63 Hurst Street/50-54 Inge Street, Birmingham B5 4TE, or
   • Scan and email all Entry Sheets and the Registration Form to Birmingham-Blossom@nationaltrust.org.uk with the Eligible Organisation’s name, entrant(s)’s age category, and the words "Blossoming Spaces Competition" in the subject header. Attachments should be in a PDF format.

Yes. There is no limit on the number of entries an adult can submit if the entrants they are submitting on behalf of meet the eligibility criteria. However, only one entry per entrant will be accepted. For example, a teacher can submit entries for every year 5 student in their school, even if they don't teach them directly.

If you teach a group of children/young people who are different ages, then you may complete one registration form and submit entries for any entrant who meets the eligibility criteria. For example, if you an adult running a youth group for children aged 9 to 14, you may submit entries for both the Primary Age Category and Secondary Age Category for any eligible entrant, i.e., be aged 10 on or before 31st August 2026 (Primary Age Category), or be aged 13 on or before 31st August 2026 (Secondary Age Category). A child who was aged 9, 11, or 12 on or before 31st August 2026 could not be entered.

No, only one entry per child will be accepted.

If a National Trust workshop is booked, we can support each class/child select which blossom space would be most suitable for them to design.

Only children within the specified age categories can submit entries to the Blossoming Spaces competition. If you would like all the children to take part in the design process, please only submit entries for children of the specified age categories.

If a workshop is booked, we will ask you to advise for which age category you’d like us to deliver based on the requirements of the group.

Entries must be received by either post or email by 12pm on Friday 5 December 2025.

No, each design must be completed by an individual entrant.