Frequently asked questions

If you have any questions, you'll probably find the answers on this page!

I would like my village to take part in our county competition. How do I do this?

Contact your county organisation, they should be able to give you all the advice and help you need.

Which region is my village in?

If you are unsure which region category your village is listed under, please use the region list to identify the correct one.

If my village wants to take part in the county competition, do we have to go through our parish council?

Your county organisation will advise. Most competitions accept entries from groups of interested individuals or village organisations. But it's a good idea to inform your parish council because they may useful local information and be able to help. And they'll appreciate it too!

My county runs a Best Kept Village Competition but the neighbouring county has an event called Village of the Year. What's the difference?

In Best Kept Competitions there is a visual assessment of how your village cares for the built and natural environment. In Village of the Year, competing villages usually have to submit a written entry followed later by a meeting with the judges. The criteria for county Village of the Year competitions usually covers community life, business, care for older people, care for younger people, and the environment and information technology. There may be some variation to these categories according to county requirements but at national level these categories apply. Use the category section for more information.

Why do the formats and entry conditions for all the county events differ?

No central body lays down rules and regulations; each county organisation that is responsible for running the event does it in its own way. However, all the events have the same theme - they are about villages that care.

Does the appearance of our village matter? This is a working village, with a rather unattractive industrial area. Next summer the water board is going to repair the water main and dig up our high street.

Neither Best Kept or Village of the Year competitions are about picture postcards. In other words, the judges are not looking for scenic villages with pretty greens, duck ponds or elegant architecture. They are interested in caring communities. For Best Kept just note the Water Board repairs on your entry form and say that you are working with the companies on the industrial estate about keeping the area tidy. Think of the competition as an opportunity for the village to pull together.

How can we get into the national Calor Village of the Year^® for England?

Each county competition puts forward a village to represent that county. In some cases this is the county winner but some events (usually Best Kept Village competitions), select a village from their own event shortlist. Ask your county organiser to tell you about the procedure in your county.

The county has nominated our village to take part in the national Calor Village of the Year^® competition. The entry form looks very demanding! How do we get advice and do we have to enter all the categories?

Congratulations! You must have done well to reach this stage. Talk to your county organiser or email info@calorvillageoftheyear.org. You must enter all six categories. Use the Health Check section of the entry form to focus your thoughts. But if in doubt, do ask. You will probably be pleasantly surprised at the extent and variety of activities in your village.

Our village is very small; how can we compete in the national Calor Village of the Year^® against larger villages with more resources?

Size does not matter! Judges want to know how a village is making the best of what it has for the benefit of all residents. Smaller communities often have an edge because they are closer knit. Villages with fewer than 1,000 residents compete successfully against larger communities.

Who are the judges for county competitions or the national Calor Village of the Year^®?

Teams of experienced volunteers, with many years' experience, judge county events. The panel of judges for the national English Calor Village of the Year^® for England is drawn from individuals nominated by county competition organisations. They are volunteers and are very experienced in rural matters.

For further information about the Calor Village of the Year^® Competition please call Brian Challis on 01962 629768 or email info@calorvillageoftheyear.org. For media enquiries, please call Emma Flinn on 0161 817 4221.