Best Kept Village - 2018

 

The story of Haughton’s third BKV campaign as a Small Village - a difficult year for all villages in this hot, dry season

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Tidy-up dates

 

It will soon be time to be out and about with our litter-pickers once again.

 

Tidy-ups will start from Haughton Village Hall car park at 6.30pm.  Litter-pickers, bags and hi-viz tabards will be provided.  Bring your own tools if you prefer to weed or cut grass edges.

 

Thursday 5th April

Thursday 19th April

Thursday 26th April

Thursday 3rd May

Thursday 17th May

Thursday 31st May

Wednesday 13th June

Wednesday 27th June

Wednesday 4th July

Wednesday 18th July

Wednesday 25th July

 

Everybody welcome

 

Poster

March Newsletter

Launch Meeting

Haughton Village Hall

Thursday 29th March

at 8.15pm  

Come along and find out all about this year’s campaign

Everyone welcome

What’s new this year?

Thousands of purple crocuses have been planted in the verge between the Bell Inn and the church, and on the green opposite the Old Post Office, in aid of the Purple for Polio Campaign.  The crocuses appeared for the first time in March 2018, following their planting in the autumn of 2017.  The crocuses will not be in flower during the BKV judging period, but these images show some of their beauty in the spring period and will help readers of the notice in other seasons to visualise the effect.

Our war memorial has recently been awarded Grade II status

The telephone box has been purchased for the village by the Parish Council.  Uses for it are being considered and work on improving its looks will get underway as soon as the internal workings are removed.

This litter bin has been re-sited to allow better access to the Haughton Parish Map

 

Civic Amenity Van visits 2018

Launch Meeting

 

The Launch Meeting for the 2018 BKV season was held at Haughton Village Hall on Thursday 29th March.  Several people braved the cold and wet to attend the meeting.  Derek Warbrick introduced some of the members of the Working Group, which has been set up this year to meet regularly, to share the workload, and to bring in new ideas.  This year’s campaign will include the familiar regular Tidy-ups and the Best Kept Garden and Hanging Baskets Competition.  A question and answer session was followed by some seasonal refreshments and the opportunity for new and seasoned BKV enthusiasts to mix together and discuss the coming season.

People beginning to gather at the Village Hall before the meeting

Derek Warbrick, with some of the members of the Working Group

April Newsletter

The first Tidy-up of the season was held at 6.30pm on Thursday 5th April.  Thirty people met at the Village Hall to be equipped with everything necessary for the evening’s tasks.  Although it was chilly, the work soon warmed young and old.  Litter and windfall twigs were picked up, paths were edged, new plants put in, areas swept and beds and containers weeded.  A lot of satisfaction was gained from the work done, but it is always on-going, and there will be plenty still to do at the next Tidy-up, due on Thursday 19th April, when, as always, everyone is welcome to come and lend a hand.

The judges won’t be here for another three weeks, so they won’t see the daffodils on the green opposite the telephone box, or the colourful flowers of the winter planting in the tractor tyres, but this shows that the village tries to look its best in all seasons.

It was rather a wet morning when the Civic Amenity Van came to the Village Hall on Saturday 7th April for the disposal of bulk refuse.

 

 The van will be in the village again on Saturday 8th September from 9.00-10.00am.

The colourful tubs are back again on the Trophy Pole Green

Where did spring go?  It was a bit nippy for our third Tidy-up on April 26th

This couple are going to be very busy

One does the sweeping ... and the other the picking up

This team is improving the walkway to the church

The WI flower beds on Royds Close Green are getting some attention

Is that a cigarette end in the grass?

Hey hoe ... but all this work does make a difference

These two benches in the churchyard have had a fresh coat of paint

May Newsletter

The pupils of Haughton St Giles Primary Academy have once more entered the BKV Children’s Poster Competition with enthusiasm.  101 posters have been produced, highlighting the children’s interest in all things environmental, from considering nature to reducing litter and encouraging recycling.  All the posters can be seen on the fence at the Village Hall, but copies can be found in other places around the village.  Congratulations to the children for this wonderful effort, and many thanks to the management committee of Haughton Village Hall for hosting and displaying the poster exhibition.

Poster Competition Winners

The

Best Kept Garden and Hanging Baskets Competition

will be held again this year

 

All gardens and hanging baskets within the 30 mph limit will receive free and automatic entry into the competition.

Independent judges will view the gardens from public areas such as paths and roads in July.

The judges’ decision will be final

Small gardens will comprise an area of less than approximately 900 sq ft (i.e. 30’ x 30’)

 

Prizes will be awarded for

 

Best Kept Large Garden

Best Kept Small Garden

Best Hanging Basket(s)

Highly Commended Gardens (3)

Highly Commended Hanging Baskets (2)

 

Winners will be announced at an Awards Evening in August

The development at Redfern Rise has been completed with a new road surface

This neat bed is on the corner of Newport Road and Meadow Drive

Our new updated gateway and feature signs are now in place

And now we’re all ready for the first of May ...

Work has continued to try to keep our village looking its best.  Some years it rains, and some years it’s as dry as a bone. . .  What’s been happening? - Grass-cutting, edging, removing weeds, several Tidy-ups, a first visit from the judges, the summer planting and the watering, and the watering and the watering until the plants are established.  Full bloom is just around the corner, and with the roses it’s already here.  Perhaps when the judges pay their next visit they will be welcomed by a show of colour from these lovely plants.

The wildlife area at the playing field copse is looking very good this year.

June Newsletter

The exceptionally sunny and dry June has brought all the lovely flowers, but also the problem of watering to keep them alive and healthy.  As well as displays in the tractor tyres and in the roadside flower beds there are also some cheerful boxes in the churchyard, filled by the Sunday School and the Brownies, and beautiful tubs and baskets at the Village Hall and the newly-reopened Bell Inn.

New habitats are being created in the ecology area in the churchyard - new residents are being sought.  Tidy-up work has taken place in the more formal part of the churchyard, too.

Our Tidy-ups take place in the early evening when the weather has been a little more comfortable.

July Newsletter

Haughton’s Best Kept Village Awards Evening, which includes the presentation of prizes in the Best Kept Gardens and Hanging Baskets Competition, will be held on Wednesday 8th August at Haughton Village Hall, beginning at 8.00pm.

 

Awards Evening Poster

Best Kept Village Competition Presentation of Awards

 

This year’s presentation of awards was held at Gnosall Memorial Hall on Monday 6th August.  Forty villages entered the competition.

 

Haughton was awarded

 

Second

 

in Stafford Area in the Small Village category

 

One of the pupils of Haughton St Giles Academy was awarded Second Place in the Children’s Poetry Competition (Age 5-7 Category)

 

 

Congratulations to our young poet

Well done to everyone involved in this year’s campaign

 

 

Congratulations to Tittensor, who were not only the Best Kept Small Village in the area, but also won the trophy as Best Kept Village (large or small) in Stafford Area, and were declared the Best Kept Small Village in Staffordshire.

August Newsletter

 

Includes Garden Competition Results

Goodbye from BKV 2018