Three local communities receive Wiltshire 'Best Kept Village' awards

Three local villages are now proudly displaying their plaques won in the Wiltshire Best Kept Villages of 2022 competition.

33 communities entered the competition this year run by CPRE, The Countryside charity.

Judges looked at things like the state of roadside hedges and walls, residential gardens, public areas and buildings, footpaths, churchyards, external areas around schools and churches, notice boards, litter and also an indication of community spirit.

Best Kept Large Village winner

Whiteparish was judged to be the Best Kept Large Village and was given an eight-foot standard with mounted shield for a year, emplaced prominently at a road junction in the centre of their village.

The judges “were impressed by the general presentation and immediate look of a well-respected and well-maintained village.”

They also commented very favourably on the Memorial Ground and Hall, including the “magnificent” skate park, the school area, and the re-wilding areas.

Best Kept Medium Village

Hindon won the Best Kept Medium Village category.

The judges felt that “Hindon looks an extremely attractive village to live in, with lots of community activities taking place. The environment appeared very well maintained and much loved by residents.”

Other particularly positive comments mentioned the village playground, the conservation area, the community shop, the war memorial, the two pubs and the High Street.

Best Kept Small Village

Rushall on the edge of Salisbury Plain was judged to be the Best Kept Small Village. The judges felt that it “had the immediate feel of a village which was well kept and for which the villagers cared”. “The church and church yard stood out, alongside the cricket ground, as exceptionally well looked after and presented”.

Meanwhile Bratton near Westbury won the Laurence Kitching Award, only winning villages from 2019 and 2021 were eligible for that category.

The charity paid tribute to all those involved;

"A common factor in achieving success was that clearly many people had been involved in both large and small ways, with a collective, community effort that had obviously generated great and justifiable pride in each village’s appearance."

For the first time the competition was primarily sponsored by CCm Technologies, an award-winning clean tech company established in 2011 and based in Swindon.

Pawel Kisielewski, CEO of CCm Technologies, said:

“Driving through Wiltshire throughout this year constantly highlights the diverse beauty of the whole county and CCm celebrates all entrants in this year’s competition, in particular Whiteparish, Hindon, Rushall and Bratton.”

The winning villages were presented with their mounted shields at the weekend in a special ceremony at each location attended by the High Sheriff of Wiltshire, Lady Fiona Lansdowne.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Greatest Hits Radio app.