Hertfordshire Village of the Year 2008

The Parish Council is absolutely delighted that Woolmer Green has had a banner year in the Calor Gas Village of the Year competition for Hertfordshire, organised by the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

For a number of years this has replaced the old Best Kept Village competition. Whilst we entered this on a number of occasions we stood no chance of winning since we couldn’t compete with the many pretty villages in Hertfordshire. We now proceed to National finals!

This is what the judges said about Woolmer Green:

"This is probably the first time that a village has achieved equal highest marks in every category of the competition. To mention just a few of the new initiatives carried out by individual villagers and presented to the judges during their visit:

• The monthly Farmers’ Market organiser also uses his culinary skills to encourage residents to savour the delights of ‘wild food’.
• The Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator has developed the Online Watch Link (OWL) Neighbourhood Watch software currently in use within the county and elsewhere. It has been demonstrated at the House of Commons and received a Hertfordshire Business Award.
• Young James Mansell’s current film ‘Heroes’ concerning school bullying makes an exciting bridge between young people and the Parish Council.
• Two very confident and articulate pupils took us on a guided tour of St Michaels Primary School, which buzzes with a range of activities and that was judged to be outstanding at the latest OFSTED inspection.
• A new footpath map has been produced and one of the older inhabitants is currently undertaking a photographic survey."

Individual Success

We are also proud that the judges recognised two young people from our village. James Mansell has won the Dorothy Abel Smith Award for Young People, and Anna Brockman from St Michael's School has won the years 1 and 2 category in the Children's Poster Competition.

This is what the judges said about James:

DOROTHY ABEL SMITH AWARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

This award, now in its fourth year, is given to a young person up to the age of 18 who has made an outstanding contribution to village life. This year the award goes to a lad who speaks at Parish Council Meetings and organized races at the recent Village Day. He made a film on the theme of anti-social behaviour involving other children: this impressed the neighbourhood police officers who have asked him to make two short films on the theme of drugs and alcohol, for which they offer funding.

Winner: James Mansell of Woolmer Green