Best Kept Village and Village of the Year Awards

For some years, villages and towns within Dorset have been invited to enter these competitions. Leading up to the Millennium, Broadmayne Parish Council chose to enter our village – there was no monetary charge.

In 1997, Broadmayne was ‘Runner-up’ in second place in the Larger Villages group for Dorset Vital Village. (Over thirty one awards were made in different categories).

In 1998, Broadmayne was ‘Highly Commended’ in the Best Kept Village Competition. (Thirty nine villages of Dorset entered the competition).

In 1999, Broadmayne won 1st place in the Large Villages categories for BOTH the ‘Best Kept Village’ and ‘Dorset Village of the Year’.

This latter achievement meant that Broadmayne represented Dorset County in the ‘National Village of the Year’ competition. Forty two villages, large and small, adjudged winners from England, Scotland and Wales competed. The top award remained elusive to Broadmayne, but the actual participation in this prestigious United Kingdom contest achieved a diploma presentation. These awards attract cash prizes which are used for the betterment of the village. Initial reaction to these competitions can be mixed and criticism is usually borne from lack of knowledge of the objectives and achievements. So what are they all about?

In Dorset, the competitions are organised by Dorset Community Action under joint national sponsorship by The Daily Telegraph and Calor Gas. Over the three years Broadmayne has been involved there have been minor changes to the competition format, but the objectives remain largely the same – to encourage tidiness and pride in the appearance of the village, to stimulate care and preservation of the village environment, and to raise awareness of community activity.

What are the Best Kept Village & Village of the Year awards?
Broadmayne's presentation for 1999