Valentines day launch for Flintshire’s best kept communities competition

Today sees the launch of a competition that recognises the people making their community a place where residents love to live. 

Flintshire County Council’s annual Best Kept Communities competition celebrates civic pride, providing an opportunity for community groups throughout the county to showcase how the time and effort they invest in their local area benefits everyone, and contributes to environmental goals.

For the second year running, the competition will be co-ordinated by Flintshire Council’s partners, Flintshire Local Voluntary Council (FLVC).  

FLVC’s Chief Officer, Ann Woods, said “This competition is well aligned with our mission as an organisation, which is to support, promote and develop voluntary and community activity in the county and to create opportunities for local groups to positively impact on local people and places.  Building on the admirable number of entrants that participated last year, we’re aspiring to see every community represented this year.”

Entrants are invited to compete for the accolade of best kept village or town, or best kept senior citizens social housing estate. 

Villages with a population of less than 1000 will compete against each other, as will those with more than 1000 residents. 

[Winners of Best Kept Senior Citizens Estate 2019, Hafod-y-Bryn, Brynford accepting their award from judge Heather Price, Glyn Davies of Toyota Lindop Brothers, and Chair of Flintshire County Council, Cllr Marion Bateman.  Belvedere Close, Queensferry  were joint winners in this category.]

All competing villages, towns and estates also have the option to compete for the award of best kept community area, perhaps an allotment, cemetery, park or church yard for example, best kept community building, and volunteer of the year.

The competition is made possible through sponsorship from local organisations. 

Shaun Darlington, Finance and Business Manager at FLVC said “Heartfelt thanks go to Airbus, Clwyd Alyn Housing, Double Click Design and Print, Lubrizol, Toyota Lindop Brothers and Toyota Manufacturing UK Ltd, who supported last year’s competition.  

We look forward to the prospect of these local organisations sponsoring the event again this year, and invite others to pledge their support too.”

As well as judging the appearance of each area entered and hearing how groups are contributing to, and enhancing, biodiversity and the environment, this year’s panel will be taking account of the level of involvement from the local community as a whole in the upkeep of the areas and buildings they will visit. 

All community and town councils are invited to participate in the contest, and are encouraged to support groups in their local area also wishing to take part.

Details about the competition are available in the “About” section of the FLVC website, www.flvc.org.uk, along with online and downloadable entry forms for each category.  The deadline for entries is 2pm on Friday 12^th June 2020, and the panel will make their judging visits in late July. 

Competition Co-ordinator, Mel Salisbury, will help with any enquires and can be contacted by email at mel.salisbury@flvc.org.uk, or by calling 01352 744030.