Green-fingered residents living around Lichfield and Burntwood are being invited to get together and enter the annual Best Kept Village competition.
Last year saw 56 entries to the Community Council of Staffordshire-backed contest and the organisers admit they’re expecting even more hopefuls in 2011.
John Perry MBE, Chairman of the Best Kept Village competition, said:
“We were really pleased with the standard of entries in 2010. New winners emerged in some areas, but there was very close competition everywhere – including the County Finals. I hope we shall see our regulars again in 2011, but it would also be nice to see villages who have not entered for a few years or who have never entered – including a few ‘urban villages’ perhaps – in the running for the 2011 contest.”
The competition will be based on five districts. The winners in each category from each district will then be judged and the county winners will emerge. Judging in the preliminary rounds will take place in May and June and the finals will be in July, with the result announced at the beginning of August.
Mr Perry added:
“There is one small change in the ‘features to be judged’ this year – we have split public open spaces into large and small to reflect the difference in the size of open spaces within small and large villages. Other than that, everything remains much the same and we are looking forward to another good competition in 2011.
“There will again be special trophies for the Best Large and Best Small Villages in the county, with trees donated by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. The prize money for winners will be the same as the last two years, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.”
Entry forms have been sent to parish councils, village organisations and community groups. Entry forms and more information is also available from the Community Council of Staffordshire on 01785 242525 or by emailing communitycouncil@staffs.org.uk.
The date for registration of intent to enter is February 25, with full entry details required by March 31.