Regional Winners

Otford - Regional Winner 2002

Otford, located at the head of the picturesque Darent Valley in Kent, is a community that caters for all ages and all interests. For the younger members of the community, there is an active youth club that arranges trips out, an annual panto, and special events, such as charity sleep outs.

For the elderly, there is a luncheon club that meets every week, where members of the WI assist with the catering. There are also numerous organisations that bring the different age groups together, such as the gardening society, which puts on three shows every year and encourages young enthusiasts to enter competitions such as grow a sunflower.

The village also has a diverse range of businesses, varying from a manufacturer of costume jewellery and a silkscreen printer, to a supplier of gourmet fresh fish and a 4th generation watch case maker. Otfords environmental attributes are equally impressive. As well as creating a community woodland, the village has also bought 61 acres of land dedicated to wildflowers and birds.
One of the most unique features of the village is its model solar system. The model is the largest scale model in the world and was built to celebrate the millennium. It is an actual physical model of the solar system, with the planets positioned as they were on millennium night. The planets are marked out by pillars with the nearest star (according to the scale of the Otford model), situated near Los Angeles, USA.

Otford is the 2002 Calor Village of the Year for Southern & South East England.

Judges Comments

"Otford obviously sets itself and is achieving high standards, and has some very original ideas for community pride projects - a very impressive village."