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Yarcombe
Business Prize for Yarcombe in 2005 Calor Village of the Year^® for England Competition

The Devon village of Yarcombe has won a regional category award for Business in this year’s Calor Village of the Year^® for England competition.

The village’s success was revealed by guest of honour, celebrity author and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh, at an awards ceremony held on Tuesday 6th December in London. Yarcombe was competing against a total of 40 other villages throughout England which were nominated to represent their respective counties in this prestigious event.

Yarcombe won the Business category, and £500 prize money, in the West England region of the competition, competing against villages from Avonside, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

The Calor Village of the Year^® for England competition is organised and funded by Calor, the UK’s leading supplier of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It assesses communities on six aspects of village life with categories in building community life, business, young people, older people, the environment and, judged separately, information communication technology (ICT).

Alan Titchmarsh was joined by Calor’s managing director, Howard Kerr, to present representatives of Yarcombe with their prizes. Alan commented: “Rural communities are an essential part of the fabric of our country - they are the backbone of British life. It is for this reason that the Calor Village of the Year^® for England competition, which aims to support and promote village life, is such a positive event and something which I am happy to support. The competition highlights the very best of village life, encouraging villagers to work together to the benefit of all residents. More importantly, it provides a forum for communities to share best practice and encourages them to address any problems or opportunities that become apparent following their involvement in the competition.”

The competition 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. Yarcombe, which was nominated to take part in the competition by the Community Council of Devon, presents the quintessential face of village life to visitors with its thatched public house, historic church and quaint cottages. However, beyond that first impression is a hardworking farming village with a thriving business community. There are still 20 farms active in the parish, 17 of which are dairy farms. There are also a number of varied and active enterprises, operating at both county and national level. Over recent years business in the village has rapidly diversified into the tourism sector. What was formerly the village school is now a successful small country hotel and within the wider boundaries of the parish there are a number of bed and breakfast and self catering establishments. The village no longer has a shop in its centre and the Post Office has also been closed. However, the parish council worked hard to establish a community sub-Post Office which operates from a garage with the council paying the rent and which is currently open three mornings a week.

Calor’s managing director, Howard Kerr, commented: “Feedback from villages over the years confirms how those entering the Calor Village of the Year^® competition are amazed at the richness of community life that is revealed as they go forward. The 2005 competition has once again highlighted some extraordinary communities across England as well as some great examples of how villages are working to achieve a better quality of life for residents. I would like to take this opportunity to thank every village that has taken part this year and congratulate them on their achievements, whether they have won a prize or not.

“The Calor Village of the Year^® competition has been supporting rural communities for nine years and many villages have benefited from taking part – either at county or national level. As the competition reaches its 10th anniversary, we are confident that villages will continue to benefit in the future. Thanks must also go to Alan for his continued support, which is sure to raise the profile of the competition and spread the message to even more communities.”

For more information on the Calor Village of the Year^® for England competition visit the website (www.calorvillageoftheyear.org) or call Calor on 01962 629768.

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