Press Archive

Calor Suffolk Village of the Year Awards

Rachel Sloane, Radio Suffolk’s afternoon presenter, announced the winners in the 2005 Calor Suffolk Village of the Year Awards on air yesterday; Rachel judged the finals on Saturday with fellow judges from Government Office for the Eastern Region, Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Suffolk County Council.

On awarding Holton St Mary the overall winner Rachel commented:

“It was a particularly hard decision especially between two villages, Holton St Mary, near Hadleigh and Tuddenham St Mary, near Mildenhall, a busy little village making a community even though a main road runs through the middle. Tuddenham St Mary people gave the judges such a wonderful welcome that showed how much they wanted the award. Holton St Mary, with fewer than 200 residents, just get things done. It came across as the party capital of Suffolk but they had also thought about emergencies in the village, power cuts etc. and how they would cope until the professionals arrive. It was a very hard decision but Holton St Mary just had the edge and wins the £1000 prize to spend on a community project.”

My congratulations to all the finalists, with Tostock and Homersfield they really are places anyone would want to live."

Holton St Mary will receive the £1000 top prize, the Calor winner’s Plaque and Certificate, a firkin of beer from Adnams and three trees from Charles Notcutt.

Tuddenham St Mary was in second place, with a £450 prize and Calor Certificate; the village also won the Defra Building Community Life Prize of £500. Hannah Fox, from the Government Office for the East of England, awarded this new prize for 2005. Hannah said: “Visiting these Suffolk villages has given me such an insight into how very small rural villages work together as a community. I shall take back the message to my colleagues in government that there really does need to be a different approach to policies in rural areas, social inclusion here is hard when people are scattered in sparsely populated and widespread communities. But in the villages we visited everyone, the elderly, young, newcomers and those who have always lived there, were welcomed and included in the full life of the community and people really cared for each other. I was very impressed by the strength of community and the activity in all of the finalist villages.”

Tostock, near Bury St Edmunds, was in third place, winning £250. In this village the judge was amazed by the amount of events being run, a superb Art Show, fun events and hard work put into the beautiful greens.

Homersfield, on the Norfolk border, was the fourth finalist. Judges admired the beautiful Church Wood and the amount of activity in such a tiny community.

Tracey Housley of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust awarded the Conservation Award to the Millennium Green and churchyard at Holton St Mary. She awarded it because “The Millennium Green is an area of which Holton St Mary should be very proud! The village has worked hard to provide a fantastic space for the whole community to use, but is also developing it into a valuable area for wildlife. Features for wildlife such as wildflower areas and borders of long grass beneath the trees have been included, which can provide habitats for birds, insects, small mammal, reptiles and amphibians. We would be happy to offer advice on how to enhance the wildflower area further and on woodland management of the copses.

It was a pleasure to see a churchyard with such a natural feel to it. It is managed very much with wildlife in mind, whilst taking into account the needs of the local community. Species rich grassland is becoming increasingly scarce in Suffolk, so areas such as this are particularly important in our countryside.”

Ruth Stokes, Suffolk County Council Development Control Officer who judged the Best Public Space Award had a hard decision to make and decided to double the £100 prize money and awarded £100 each to Tostock for its lovely village green in the heart of the village and Holton St Mary for its Millennium Green. Ruth commented: “I really couldnt pick between the two as they both do different things- Tostock Green is available for all to enjoy, not just the villagers, and contrasts well with the Leys which is managed for wildlife and biodiversity, whereas the Millennium Green at Holton St Mary provides not only a wonderful space for the community but also a habitat for wildlife at the same time.”

Mary Mitson-Woods, Chief Executive of the Suffolk Association of Local Councils (SALC), which administers the competition said:

“Every year the communities are stronger and better despite the adversity they face. SALC is heavily indebted to Councillor Rona Burt and Miss Mary Green for doing the hard work that enables SALC to continue the Calor Awards. It is Calor, with its generous sponsorship, that makes this valuable project continue. It gives an opportunity for communities to take stock and celebrate all that is good within them. 2005 was disappointing because only 10 entries were received. I am aware that the national press did damage early on with a very negative article about the Building Community Life category but I believe that when Hannah Fox, from the Government Office for the East of England, arrived the villagers were aware that she knew just what to look for in a rural village and will champion the cause of our Suffolk communities in future at government level. I hope that next year, the turn of larger villages, community leaders will be keen to enter and take the opportunity to win the valuable prize money for their projects. The Village of the Year committee will discuss changes to make entering simpler and more attractive.

We look forward to celebrating with Holton St Mary in October with all the other finalists, as Rachel Sloane said it is the community party capital of Suffolk!”

Contacts:

Mary Mitson-Woods, SALC 01473 833713 ceosalc@btconnect.com

Holton St Mary Ernest Eagle 01473 310550

Tuddenham St Mary Eve Poulter 01638 715602

Tostock David Livingstone 01359 270252

Homersfield Brenda Saile 01986 788321