In Gnosall, the Best Kept Village (BKV) group is not just about the way the village looks; it's about the way the village community feels about itself and the first place prize is very much deserved.
BKV truly is a village-wide community action group. The group of dedicated volunteers is small for the size of the parish, but manages to achieve amazing results.
The competition was originally started to encourage village residents to take pride in their communities. This aim continues to this date, and it is worth noting that villages find equal benefit in building community spirit, as they do in improving the aesthetics and desirability of their villages.
The BKV group is partly funded through the Parish Council but also raises a lot of money for BKV from local individuals and businesses. They produce superb calendars (displaying scenes of our lovely village) which are the end-product of a photographic competition. Over 500 are sold annually. Local businesses support the group by means of donations, sponsoring specific projects and sponsoring hanging baskets around the village. BKV also produce helpful Walking Booklets for local enthusiasts and these are very popular, providing yet another funding stream.
The competition is not about finding the most beautiful, old, or picturesque village, and the winners are more varied and diverse than one might think. The most successful communities are often those that achieve the greatest involvement and community spirit from their residents.
New volunteers always needed.
