Calor Village of the Year^® 10th Anniversary Awards

The Finalists

The Cornish village of St Neot has been named as the overall winner of the Calor Village of the Year^® 10th Anniversary Awards.

The seven finalists, including St Neot, are featured below, along with extracts from their entries:

East Keswick, Yorkshire – Area Winner For North England

• The history of East Keswick can be traced back to Saxon times and the village is mentioned in the Domesday Book.
• Nowadays this compact village is home to approximately 1,200 residents, all of whom are catered for with some 64 groups and activities in the village
• These groups cover a wide variety of interests, regardless of age.
• New residents are welcomed to the village with a pack containing information on all local activities and villagers are well represented by the parish council and the village hall committee.
• The business community in East Keswick is thriving and the village shop, post office and milk delivery service contribute a great deal to the community.

Ashington, West Sussex – Area Winner for South England

• Ashington is a village with a thriving community and economy.
• Since winning the Calor Village of the Year® competition in 2003, the village has continued to reach for and achieve further improvements with the aim of enhancing life for residents of all ages.
• Ashington has built a new community, complete with sports facilities, and the setting up of a community transport club.
• Welcome packs, which are used to provide new residents with essential local information, have been revised.
• A village history group has been set up for new residents and for those that have lived in Ashington all their lives.

Sutton, Cambridgeshire - Area Winner for East England

• Winning the Calor Village of the Year® competition in 2002 gave a sense of pride to the residents of Sutton.
• Following its success, the village has embraced a full and varied community development programme over the last few years, with the aim of improving the quality of life for residents and visitors.
• Sutton continues to be a vibrant, interactive village, offering an ever widening range of resources and services for villagers and the various committees and organisations within the village work well together.
• Young people in Sutton are valued as the future of the community, whilst older residents play an essential role in the organisation of clubs and groups.

St Neot, Cornwall – Area Winner For West England and Overall Winner

• St Neot is a community that has risen time and time again to past challenges, whilst at the same time looking forward to meet the demands of the future.
• Although only home to some 400 people, St Neot is alive, well and positively thriving.
• There are over 40 organisations in the village with the diverse aims of service, self-help, interests and hobbies across all ages.
• Residents’ support for these organisations is what binds the community together and, as a result, no task seems too daunting for ‘St Neoters’.
• In 2003, after 35 years of waiting, a new school was opened in the village.
• In 2004 the St Neot Doorstep Green was opened which provides a garden and performance area at the heart of the village.

Ashover, Derbyshire – Area Winner for Central England

• Ashover is a vibrant, diverse and caring community with a wealth of talent.
• There are over 40 different clubs and organisations in the village which cater for all members of the community.
• Older residents are supported through various different networks and also participate fully in village life.
• There are many activities and facilities for young residents in Ashover, including a youth drop-in centre and a mountain boarding park.
• The village’s business community is thriving and is very supportive of the local community – helping with the efforts of community groups and donating time, money, goods or skills if / when required.

Llangernyw, Conwy – Area Winner For Wales

• Llangernyw is an integrated community where residents of all ages enjoy a vibrant community life.
• The school and community centre are the focal point of village life and throughout term time the community centre becomes a hive of activity in the evenings as groups, committees and clubs make use of its facilities.
• There is also a thriving business community in the village which serves both local people and the surrounding area.
• The village is situated in a designated conservation area and residents are proud of their heritage and natural environment, working hard to preserve paths and trails within the village whilst negotiating various other environmental projects to further enhance the area.

Assynt, Sutherland – Area Winner For Scotland

• A relatively small village with a population of just under 1,000 but with a large number of very active groups and societies.
• Winning the competition in 1998 acted as a catalyst for the village and the prize money was invested locally to generate more funds for future use.
• The local tourism industry is key to the village’s economy and community and village projects are undertaken with this in mind.
• Local initiatives have recently led to the retention of a community-based ambulance, a 24/7 medical practice, the Assynt centre for the elderly and the completion of the Assynt leisure centre.