Staffordshire best-kept villages celebrate competition success
Brewood and Acton Trussell scooped the top prizes in the Staffordshire Best Kept Village and Community competition.
Richard Winterton, star of BBC television series Bargain Hunt, announced the winners of the competition at a ceremony in Stafford.
Brewood was the star of the show, taking both the Best Large Village and Community Spirit awards.
Yoxall, between Lichfield and Burton-upon-Trent, took second place in the large village category, followed by Abbots Bromley, between Lichfield and Stafford.
Acton Trussell, near Stafford took the Small Village award, followed by neighbouring Bednall, with Kingsley Holt taking third place.
Acton Trussell also came second in the Community Spirit award, followed by Edingale, Fulford and Gnosall which all shared third spot.
Ipstones, in the Staffordshire Moorlands, took the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England Sustainable and Green Initiative award.
There was also a special award for competition stalwart William Read of Stafford who celebrated 50 years of Best Kept Village judging.
Competition manager Jo Cooper said that after many years of simply judging the beauty of villages, the competition format had also been changed to reflect community spirit.
She said: “We had a children’s poster, poetry, prose and photography awards and of course the new Community Spirit competition.
"Every entrant has, as usual, highlighted their sense of pride of being part of a village, making judging very difficult.
"It was a tight call and I’d like to say thank you to every entrant for participating and many congratulations to all our winners. “
Richard, whose Lichfield-based company Richard Winterton Auctioneers sponsored the event, said it had been an honour to be involved again.
He said it showed how Staffordshire had come together and continued to thrive.
"There has been a high calibre of entries so well done to everyone who has got involved,” he added.
