Stop Press

Hunt is on for Essex's Top Villages

The search has begun for the top villages in Essex with the launch of the 2007 Calor Village of the Year® and Best Kept Village competition. Competition organisers, the Rural Community Council of Essex, are looking to attract entries from all parts of the county and the deadline for entries is 31st March.

The competition focuses on community spirit, and the efforts volunteers make to sustain community life in our villages. In the final of the Calor Village of the Year® competition, villages are judged on six categories covering Community Life, Business, Young People, Older People, the Environment and Information Communication Technology (ICT). Sponsorship is provided by Calor – the UK’s leading supplier of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).

Nick Shuttleworth, Director of the Rural Community Council of Essex, is keen to see as many villages as possible taking part this year. He commented: “Previous entrants are unanimous in telling me there have been benefits for the community as a result of taking part. Entering the competition is easy and provides an opportunity to assess local services and activities, to bring people together in a celebration of all that’s happening as well as offering a chance to raise the profile of the community. Any organisation can enter on behalf of the village and I hope to see some new faces in 2007!”

Later in the year the overall Calor Village of the Year® winner in Essex 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, Rayne, has already submitted its written entry and is now preparing for a visit from competition judges during April.

Entry forms and information packs have been distributed to parishes across the county. The closing date for entries is 31st March. Further information and advice on entering is available from the Rural Community Council of Essex on 0844 4773938.

Rural Community Council of Essex is a registered charity which supports community projects throughout rural Essex and acts as a voice for rural people on key issues.

Further information is available from Nick Shuttleworth on 0844 4773938.

Ends

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 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, tel: 01962 629768, or visit: www.calorvillageoftheyear.org

Click here to download this press release in Word format