There is only a matter of days to enter your village shop, project or green initiative into the running to be named the best in Dorset.

Organisers of the Dorset Best Village Competition is urging communities to enter the awards.

This year, Magna Housing Association has taken over the running of the competition from Dorset Community Action, after being the main sponsor of the event since 2010.

Catriona Fountain, head of communication at Magna, said: “The best village competition is a great way to bring communities together and help villages to thrive.

“If you haven’t entered, there’s still time. The deadline is June 24 and we would like to encourage village communities who have not entered for a while, or have never entered, to come and join in.”

Entries for the Best Kept Village category have now closed, but there is still time to enter the other categories.

These include ‘The People’s Project’, the village judged to have entered the best community project involving people, ‘Environmental Champions’, the village judged to be running the best green initiative, ‘Best Village Shop’, in which communities are asked to nominate the village shop that serves them best, and ‘Dorset Community Heritage Award’, which celebrates restoration of the appearance of a historic settlement, conservation of anything of historical interest, or interpretation of local heritage to benefit the local community.

The competition is open to all villages in Dorset and the deadline for entries is Monday, June 24.

For more information, visit magna.org.uk.