The Calor Village of the Year Competition was started in 1997 and over 1000 villages entered it each year until 2009. The competition was judged at three levels - county level, regional level and national level and there were substantial cash prizes to be won. The WRCC organised the county level of the competition every year until 2009.
In 2009 it was necessary to provide information in the following four categories :
- Community - a better place to live
- Business - a better place to work
- Sustainability - a better future
- Communication - being in contact
The following results were announced at a special awards ceremony at Newton Regis on Tuesday 8 September 2009:
Winner of the Community Category - Easenhall
Winner of the Business Category - Wolvey
Winner of the Sustainability Category - Long Compton
Winner of the Communication Category - Welford-on-Avon
Warwickshire's Calor Village of the Year 2009 - Long Compton
The winner of the Village of the Year competition in Warwickshire went forward to represent the county in regional and national competitions, organised by Calor Gas Ltd. Villages that were successful at regional and national level received cash prizes from a fund of over £40,000.
Previous Warwickshire Villages of the Year
Those that have gone forward to represent the county at the regional and national levels of the competition include Harbury, Radway, Salford Priors, Bidford on Avon, Hampton Lucy and Austrey.
Austrey in North Warwickshire went on to represent the county in the competition for Central England in 2008. They subsequently won the Communication prize and took home a cheque for £500.
Calor Gas Ltd has decided not to run the Village of the Year competition in 2010 and therefore the Warwickshire Rural Community Council will not run it either.