Two Staffordshire villages celebrating after being named as winners in a best-kept village competition
Two villages in Staffordshire are celebrating after being named as the winner in a best-kept village competition.
Television antiques expert Richard Winterton announced Gnosall, near Stafford, as the best large village in Staffordshire's Best Kept Village and Community competition, during a ceremony at Rising Brook Community Church in Stafford. Edingdale, near Tamworth, took the small village title, with Hill Ridware, near Rugeley, coming second, and Harlaston, also near Tamworth taking third place.
Fulford, near Stone, was joint winner of the Community Spirit award, along with Edingdale and Hill Ridware, while Edingdale also took the Sustainable and Green Initiative award.
The competition is run by Staffordshire Community Foundation, which distributes grants to charitable causes in the county.
Mr Winterton, star of BBC TV series Bargain Hunt, runs Richard Winterton Auctioneers in Lichfield which sponsored the event.
He said: "This year’s competition has seen such a high calibre of entries across the board, and I would like to say very well done to everyone who has been involved in helping make their community a place people love to call home.
"We are already looking forward to next year and, while 2024 may seem a fair way off at the moment, I’d like to invite all communities interested in taking part to get in touch with the organisers now."
Jo Cooper, manager of the competition, said the format of the competition had changed since the pandemic.
"After many years of simply judging the beauty of villages, the new Best Kept Village Competition illustrates and celebrates their community spirit.
“Every entrant has, as usual, highlighted their sense of pride of being part of a village making judging very difficult. It was a tight call and I’d like to say thank you to every entrant for participating and many congratulations to all our winners."
Other sponsors included the Mill Dam Trust, the Owen Family Trust, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, Canalside Farm in Great Hayward, Excello Law, Homes Plus, Critchlow Estate Agents and Molo Cleaning Services.
For more information and to enter the 2024 competition visit: www.bestkept.community or telephone Jo Cooper on 01785 339540.
Category Winners:
WINNER small village community – Edingale.
WINNER large village community – Gnosall.
Second place small village community – Hill Ridware.
Second place large village community – Yoxall.
Third place small village community – Harlaston.
Third place large village community – Pattingham.
JOINT WINNERS of The Community Spirit Award – Fulford, Edingale and Hill Ridware.
WINNER CPRE Sustainable and Green Initiative Award – Edingale.
