Residents who are proud of where they live are being urged to enter this year’s Suffolk’s 2009 Village of the Year awards.
Babergh District Council has written to all the smaller villages in its area encouraging them to take part in this year’s competition before the closing date of May 15th.
The letter informs villages that, in addition to the main prizes which are awarded by the Suffolk Association of Local Councils (SALC), Babergh will make separate Awards to the top three villages within the district.
The 2009 Awards will be presented to the Suffolk village with an electoral roll population up to 500 inhabitants. The first prize is worth £1,000 to the winning village. The winner will in turn be entered into the National Competition.
Babergh’s Award to the winner is made up of the Cosford Trophy comprising a brass plaque/certificate and a £500 prize to be used as a contribution towards a community project. The second placed village will receive £200 and the third placed village will receive £100.
District finalists are then entered into the semi-final round, with winners then reaching the final stage with the overall winner receiving £1,000, a plaque and a certificate.
Suffolk’s overall winner of Village of the Year is then entered into the national competition.
The 2009 awards are open to any Suffolk village with an electoral roll population of up to 500 residents. This year, the category of recognition is for smaller villages.
Colin Matthews, Babergh’s Senior Footpaths Officer, said: “Babergh has 45 villages falling within this category – and we know all of them meet the criteria in numerous ways - and hope that as many of them as possible will be entering this year.”
In 2007, Hintlesham was named as Babergh’s district winner for smaller villages.
Babergh’s judging panel will be made up of four district councillors who will be marking villages for their community spirit, general appearance, how well its parish council is run and its natural environment.
The criteria in which evaluations will be made by the four judges comprising Babergh Councillors includes community spirit, how well the Parish Council is run, the natural environment and the care and appearance of the villages.
To receive another copy of the entry form and further information please email Colin Matthews on colin.matthews@babergh.gov.uk or call (01473) 825799. ENDS
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