Rushall vying to be crowned Best Kept Village for third time

A village could take the title of Best Kept Village for a third time.

Rushall in Wiltshire is hoping to win the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England's (CPRE) Laurence Kitching award.

Now in its 64th year, the competition rewards villages that are best looked after by their residents and where community spirit is strong.

So far, Rushall is the only village to have scooped the LK title twice, winning it in 2012 and 2017.

The Laurence Kitching award is also known as the 'Winner of Winners' competition.

Open to previous winners, the other rivals in Wiltshire competing for this year's prize include Ramsbury, Whiteparish and Tilshead.

Rushall will be hoping to impress with its allotments, cricket pitch, church and village hall.

Chair of Rushall Parish Council, Colin Gale, said; "We are now in the best of the best rounds again on the Laurence Kitchen award.

"We're the only village to have won twice and we're going for three.

"This is the Champion's League! We're fighting against other villages that have won the Wiltshire County round."

He said Rushall residents take great pride in their village:

"We like it to look nice, a nice environment to live in. People come along, they walk their dogs by the river," he said.

"It's an enjoyable place to come."

Great care has gone into preparing Rushall for the judging panel, who will pay secret visits sometime over the next few weeks.

The village gates have been cleaned, hedges trimmed and grass cut. Rushall has also created a trail to show off its best bits.

Resident John Rogers, who looks after the allotments, said: "You've got to keep a sense of humour about it all. We enjoy it when we win and we have our tea and cakes afterwards.

"I'd like to say we open a bottle of champagne but it's more likely to be tea!"

CPRE, the organisation running the contest, believes it is a great way to celebrate local life.

Mike Manson is the project officer of the CPRE Wiltshire Branch. He said they are not looking for the prettiest village.

"It's about just how well the villagers have presented what they have got in their village," he said.

As well as making the best of their surroundings, entrants will also be marked on other criteria including tidiness, presentation and conservation.

The judges will announce the winner in August.

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