Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire

Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, has won the Environment category for the West England region of the 2008 Calor Village of the Year® award.

Ashton Keynes, with a population of just under 1,500, is situated to the north west of Swindon in the county of Wiltshire.

It’s a cohesive, energetic and caring village with a wide range of activities available for all ages.

Continuous evaluation of the community means that the ever-changing needs of residents are highlighted, and often addressed, on an ongoing basis.

Residents are dedicated to supporting the community - lively and enjoyable fundraising activities mean that financial support can be offered to village organisations. This ingrained community spirit doesn’t stop at the village boundaries – it’s also shared generously with the wider area.

Communication within Ashton Keynes is good and villagers recognise the importance of effective communication, taking every opportunity to improve the networks, whether formal or informal.

In terms of the environment, awareness of green issues permeates all areas of village life and this is embraced particularly effectively by the local school and the after school club. Residents’ approach to environmental issues is innovative.

The use of heat sensitive cameras and the availability of power meters with the aim of highlighting the cost of wasted energy will all help to encourage a more responsible attitude to energy.

Ashton Keyne’s Millennium Green is another example of an extremely successful environmental project within the community. Managed as a recreation area, a variety of flora and fauna are encouraged to grow in this meadowland environment. A pond has also been created to encourage wildlife and further enhance the area.