Sandwick in running for village of the year

SANDWICK has been named as one of five Scottish communities in the running for a village of the year award.

Organised by Calor, the awards provide rural communities with a population of 5,000 and under the chance to gain recognition and reward for their achievements. Villages from throughout Scotland entered the contest, with 12 being shortlisted across four regions – north, south, central and islands. The next stage of the competition asks representatives from each shortlisted village to attend a presentation day in Stirling, where they will appear before a panel of judges to demonstrate why they are a potential winner.

Calor’s village of the year manager, Suzanne Weir, said the awards generated a fantastic response, with villages from across the length and breadth of the country entering the competition.

“Reading about the efforts of volunteers to sustain and develop their communities is always humbling and the judges had a particularly difficult task in narrowing down a shortlist,” she said.

“The 12 villages who have made it onto the judges’ shortlist should feel immensely proud of their achievements and we are looking forward to hearing more about each village.”

Ms Weir said villages that have not been shortlisted should be “equally proud” of their achievements, and encouraged them to enter again next year.

A cash prize of £1,000 for community investment will be awarded to each of the regional winners, with an additional prize of £3,000 promised for the overall Scottish winner.

The competition is designed to allow rural communities the chance to promote their success and share best practice.