COMMUNITY groups from around the county were recognised for their achievements at an awards ceremony last week.

Judges made the “very hard decision” to select winners and highly commended groups at the Hereford City Community Group Achievement Awards 2014.

After helping to plant a range of flowers in order to enhance a community area in Hunderton, the South Wye Amateur Gardeners was named as one of the highly commended groups.

The group won £200 towards its next project.

Central Tupsley Community Group, which formed two years ago, was also commended after securing a £50,000 grant to carry out major renovation of the Tupsley Quarry.

The group's bonfire night celebration at the quarry in 2013 was attended by more than 3,000 people and raised £2,000.

The group received a certificate and cheque for £500.

But it was the Grandstand Road Community Association which was named the overall winner, receiving £1,000 towards its next community project.

The group, which has only been operating for a year, has organised litter picks of the area, trimmed back and tidied up overgrown bushes and shrubs and held fun days and community games days.

It also recently received a grant for the construction of a traffic island at a junction in the area and its biggest achievement to date is the resurrection of the local tennis courts, cutting back overgrowth, clearing the surface, repainting the lines and buying new nets.

The group, which also fought a planning application to save the tennis courts in its park, also won the Hereford in Bloom Community Open Space Project Trophy.