Lancashire’s Best Kept Village
Lancashire Best Kept Village Competition held its Diamond Jubilee Awards Ceremony to mark 60 years
The judge for this year’s competition was Mrs Pam Barker, deputy lord lieutenant of Lancashire and constable of Lancaster Castle. She announced that this year’s winner of the Champion Village Class was Elswick. They received a commemorative plaque, along with a framed certificate and a watercolour painting of the village by local artist Gordon Wilkinson. They now continue in the Champion’s class for a further four years.
At the packed ceremony attended by over 150 guests including 10 mayors from all over Lancashire, the Chairman of the organising committee, John Isherwood, took people back to 1958 when the competition first started. It came about from an idea by the then Community Council of Lancashire that a competition of this sort would inspire communities to work together to make their villages a better place to live. In doing so it would create a better environment for everyone in Lancashire.
This year 67 villages entered the competition, and 30 were winners, runner-ups or received highly commended in one or more award categories. This shows the very high standards of Lancashire villages that Lancashire has.
The organisers would like to encourage more villages to enter. There are five categories of village, all depending on population – hamlets, small, medium, large and champion villages. The cost to enter is £15 for hamlets and small villages and £25 for medium and large villages.
For further information about becoming a judge or to enter your village, visit: www.lancashirebestkeptvillage.org.uk
