About the Competition

Rural communities play a significant and vital role in maintaining a sustainable and flourishing rural Northern Ireland. However, the pace of life today means that time spent bringing rural communities closer together has never been more important.

Have you ever considered what your village has to offer the people who live there? Would you describe it as vibrant and enterprising or is it in need of a boost? Calor Gas Northern Ireland Ltd, in association with the Northern Ireland Rural Development Council (RDC), has launched the Calor Village of the Year® competition in
Northern Ireland.

For more information on Calor, visit www.calorgasni.com.

Who can enter?

The Calor Village of the Year competition is open to all rural communities throughout Northern Ireland with a population of 4,500 or under. Entry is open to community based organisations / groups if they meet any of the following criteria:

•  A �not for profit' local organisation or trust which has been set up to improve the social, economic or environmental well-being of your local community.

•  A strong emphasis on the involvement of local individuals or groups active within the community.

•  Partnerships, networks or forums acting within a localised community.

Applications are welcomed from single organisations operating within a community, however, if more than one group operates in your area we suggest you consider applying collectively since the competition is about recognising your Village as a whole. This could help you complete more categories and help the judges fully understand the extent of community activity in your area.

If you are unsure about your group's eligibility, please telephone Calor Village of the Year competition on 028 9045 5588 or e-mail: competition@calorgasni.co.uk.  Alternatively you may contact RDC on 028 8676 6980 or email info@rdc.org.uk  

Find out how to enter and download the entry form

NEW FOR 2011

Building on the success of last year’s Calor Rural Community Award, which recognised the smaller rural settlement, the 2011 competition heralds a change to the overall Calor Village of the Year accolade.  This year, in its place, we are delighted to announce the introduction of the Calor Village of the Year® Small Community and Calor Village of the Year® Large Community, with an equal prize fund allocated to each.

The Calor Village of the Year® Small Community is open to any village or rural community with a population of 1,000 or less; and Calor Village of the Year® Large Community is open to any village or rural community with a population between 1,001 and 4,500.  To be eligible for consideration your community must enter a minimum of 3 categories.

We will also be on the lookout for ‘Best Improved Villages’ who have entered in previous years as well as ‘Inspiring People’ throughout the judging process.

Find out how to enter

Calor Youth Award - Video Competition

For 2011, we are introducing a new award category for young people. The Calor Youth Award is open to schools, youth groups, and younger members of community organisations and voluntary groups. Entrants must be aged between 8 and 18.

For the award, youth group members (6+) are asked to produce a video showcase of everything that is good about their village. The video should be between 5 and 10 minutes long and can feature individuals, groups, places, businesses and events. Everything and anything, in short, that makes their village special.

The best showreels from each community will be shown at the Calor Village of the Year awards ceremony, with the production teams in attendance. There will be two awards made: the Best Video will receive the Calor Youth Award of a trophy and £500 the runner-up video will receive £250

The best showreels will also feature on this website and Calor's corporate and Facebook sites. For further information please email competition@calorgasni.co.uk

The Northern Ireland Rural Development Council (RDC)

The Northern Ireland Rural Development Council (RDC) is an independent organisation operating at a regional level across rural Northern Ireland.

Established in 1991 RDC is presently managed by a 13 member Council comprised of representatives drawn for a wide range of rural interests including youth, farming, environment, business, women, education, community development, culture and heritage.

They are involved in the delivery of support services, both financial and practical, to organisations
involving people locally in planning regeneration projects that meet the real needs of rural communities.

This has included, among other activities, support and help to people in rural areas to develop community halls, create workspace, sustain transport networks, build play parks, deliver training, protect their environment, access essential services and maintain their local shop. RDC activities are based on the principle that local people are best placed to identify their needs and propose solutions.

More information on the work of RDC can be accessed online at www.rdc.org.uk