The results were announced and prizes presented at a celebratory awards event which took place yesterday at Offchurch Village Hall. Out of an impressive 19 entries, the village of Austrey is the overall winner of the competition, scooping the prestigious title of Warwickshire’s Calor Village of the Year 2008.
The full results are as follows –
Category Winners
People Category: Offchurch
Communication Category: Ufton
Environment Category: Austrey
Business Category: Long Compton
Size Winners
Large Village Category: Wolvey
Medium-sized Village Category: Austrey
Small Village Category: Warmington
Overall
Austrey is Warwickshire’s Calor Village of the Year 2008
The competition is organised by the Warwickshire Rural Community Council (WRCC), with sponsorship provided by Calor, in association with the Courier Series of newspapers.
Ariadne Uslu, the Competitions Organiser commented: “We had nineteen entries for the competition this year. A shortlist of eight excellent entries was drawn up, which included: Dunchurch and Wolvey in the large village category; Austrey and Long Compton in the medium-sized village category; and Offchurch, Radway, Ufton and Warmington in the small village category. “The results clearly demonstrate that it is not necessary to be a large village with generous resources available to do well in this competition. What the judges are looking for is well-balanced, pro-active, caring village communities, which have made the best of local opportunities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all inhabitants, irrespective of the size of the village.”
Competition judges added: "Austrey gave us an excellent demonstration of concerted community effort in all areas. The invaluable contribution made by the Austrey Community Group is to be commended”.
As Warwickshire’s Calor Village of the Year 2008, Austrey now has the honour of representing the county in the prestigious Calor Village of the Year for England Competition 2008/9. This will give villagers the opportunity of gaining recognition at national level as well as a share of a prize fund totalling more than £40,000.
Ariadne Uslu concluded: “We wish Austrey the best of luck in the next stage of the competition. They’re a great community and we’re sure they’ll do really well.”