West Dorset villages win awards in the Best Village Competition

The winners were announced at a special event in Cerne Abbas village hall on Tuesday evening.

To mark 30 years since the competition was launched a special birthday cake was presented and eaten by the guests.

The competition has been organised by Dorset Community Action (DCA) for the past 29 years.

DCA’s competition organiser Rita Burden said: “We have had a marvellous evening topped off by the 30 year celebration. Our aim this year to encourage communities to continue taking part in this competition has been achieved."

Besides the main “Best Village” competition, there were four other entry sections- The People’s Project - the village judged to have entered the best project involving local active people, Environmental Champions - the village judged to be doing the best ‘green’ initiative, best village shop, neighbourliness, judged on what the community is doing to look after its most vulnerable and needy people. Magna introduced this category in 2015.

There was a special award this year as a memorial for Cllr John Wilson who died earlier this year. As chairman of Dorset County Council he gave many years of support to the competition and attended a number of the events.

Puncknowle shone with a win in the West Dorset District Council special award and Portesham got the highest percentage in the first time entrant category and also the large village award.

Askerwell won the small village award with Wootton Fitzpaine runner up.

Askerswell Parish Council chairman Howard Atkinson said: "Our small community takes great pride in living in an outstanding part of Dorset in an area of outstanding natural beauty and we do what we can to have a vibrant community."

Loders took the prize in the the Dorset Echo previous winners small village category.

Loders WI President Pippa Davis said: "We were very surprised because we are up against previous winners.

"We enter it because we want our village to look as lovely as it can, especially the ladies of the WI give their time to clean the roadsides in the spring.

"The scarecrow competition is one reason we do it because it brings a lot of people to the village and therefore we want it to be as lovely as it can.

"We enjoy living in this part of the world and we want people to know why."

Mosterton was a runner up in the best village shop.

Mum-of-five Caroline Cunningham, who runs Mosterton's shop, was particularly pleased to have the work the family have done re-opening the village shop 11 months ago recognised.

She said she was delighted, particularly as she only found out two weeks ago the parish council nominated them.

She said: "It was a nice surprise, we were very touched."

Mrs Cunningham, who has never run a shop before, said it had been hard work and a steep learning curve.

She added: "I couldn't have done it without the children, they were amazing and kept me sane.

"We are very friendly and customer orientated. It took a long time to buy the shop and in that time we really got to know the village - that had always been my intention. I got stuck into everything, the village hall, the church, so it made it much easier when we did finally open - were were part of the community by then."

WINNERS: East Dorset D C Special Award Sturminster Marshall

North Dorset D C Special Award Charlton Marshall

Purbeck D C Special Award West Lulworth

West Dorset D C Special Award Puncknowle

1st Time Entrant – Highest % Marks Portesham

Peoples Project Award Gussage All Saints Drovers Inn

Environmental Champions Award West Parley – Parley Wood

Best Village Shop Runner up Mosterton, Winner Corfe Castle

Neighbourliness Award Iwerne Minster

Previous Winners Small Village Loders Dorset Echo Award

Previous Winners Large Village Pimperne Dorset Echo Award

Hamlets Award Melcombe Horsey Winners Plaque

Small Village Award Runner up Wooton Fitzpaine

Winner Askerswell

Large Village Award Portesham

John Wilson Memorial Award – Child Okeford