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25 Villages Contest County Competition

A total of 25 Suffolk villages are in line for prizes in the 2007 Calor Suffolk Village of the Year competition, organised by Suffolk Association of Local Councils (SALC), and now wait in anticipation for district round judging which is due to take place during June.

The competition is sponsored by Calor – the UK’s leading supplier of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), with additional support from local sponsors Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk County Council, the six district councils, Adnams and Notcutts. Competing villages are as follows –

Mid Suffolk District:
Barking, Burgate, Buxhall, Drinkstone, Great Ashfield, Harleston, Hessett, Wickham Skeith and Yaxley

Suffolk Coastal District:
Pettistree, Levington, Friston, Brandeston and Westerfield

Babergh District:
Belstead, Hintlesham and Tattingstone

St Edmundsbury District:
Whepstead, Stoke by Clare, Honington and Sapiston.

Waveney District:
Westhall, Homersfield

Forest Heath District:
Herringswell, Tuddenham St Mary

Competition organiser on behalf of SALC, Rona Burt commented: “First indications are that we have some very strong contenders competing this year, so we’re really looking forward to seeing how they fair during the judging process. Whether they go on to win prizes or not, they’ve all done very well and I would like to thank the communities for their hard work and commitment in putting together their entries.”

Entrants are judged on six categories covering Community Life, Business, Young People, Older People, the Environment and Information Communication Technology (ICT). Initially, villages enter on a district level and there are prizes for the district winners. Winners from each district then go forward to the county semi-final round during July when the top three villages are selected for the final which is judged on August 4.

Later in the year the overall winner in Suffolk will have the added honour of being nominated to go forward and represent the county in the prestigious Calor Village of the Year® for England competition 2007/8. This will give them the opportunity of gaining recognition at national level as well as a share of a prize fund totalling more than £36,000. The county’s nominee to the 2006/7 national competition, Stowupland, has already submitted its written entry and is now preparing for an imminent visit from competition judges on April 23.

Further information regarding the Calor Suffolk Village of the Year competition is available from Rona Burt on 01638 712309, email ronabulldog@aol.com.

Ends

Further press information available from: Emma Flinn, Connectpoint, tel: 0161 817 4221, email: emma.flinn@connectpoint.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Calor Village of the Year®

Calor, the leading supplier of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to those living and working in the countryside, has supported rural activities in England, Scotland and Wales for 20 years through its Rural Sponsorship programme, which includes the Calor Village of the Year® for England competition.

The Calor Village of the Year® for England competition, now in its eleventh year, was founded and developed by Calor, and is organised and funded by the company on an annual basis.

Please note that Calor Village of the Year® is a registered trademark and should be referred to in full in all circumstances.

Entry to the Calor Village of the Year® for England competition is through the existing county competition network. Every year, Calor sponsors the majority of the county village competitions – which this year total more than 40 – each of which is invited to nominate one village to take part in the Calor Village of the Year® for England competition.

The national Calor Village of the Year® judges look for well-balanced, pro-active, caring communities which, irrespective of size, have made the best of local opportunities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all residents.

The prize money for the 2007 national Calor Village of the Year® for England competition alone stands at over £36,000. First prize is £7,000 with £2,000 going to each of five regional winners. In addition, there are five category prizes of £500 within each region (covering Business, Environment, Care for Older People, Care for Young People and Information Communications Technology), and a prize of £750 for the winner of the Building Community Life category in each of the five regions. The five regional winners of the Information Communication Technology category are judged to find an overall winner, the award for which is £1,000. There is also, thanks to support from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a prize of £2,000 for an overall Building Community Life winner, which is selected from the five regional winners.

For general information on the Calor Village of the Year® for England competition:
email: info@calorvillageoftheyear.org or visit: www.calorvillageoftheyear.org

For all media enquiries relating the Calor Village of the Year® competition, please contact Emma Flinn:
email: emma.flinn@connectpoint.co.uk or tel: 0161 817 4221

For all general enquiries relating to the Calor Village of the Year® competition, please contact Brian Challis: email: b.challis@ntlworld.com or tel: 01962 629768

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