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Organised by the Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire, the long-running competition recognises villages and communities that take exceptional care of their local environment while fostering engagement and inclusion among residents. The awards aim to encourage people to work together to create clean, welcoming, and vibrant places to live. With David Wilson Homes building a range of brand-new properties across Shropshire at Clockmakers in Whitchurch, The Damsons in Market Drayton, Hughes Meadow in Lawley, Otters Reach in Ironbridge and Rose Place in Shrewsbury, this is well-aligned with the housebuilder’s drive to create caring communities. This year’s competition drew entries from across Shropshire, with judges assessing everything from floral displays and public spaces to community facilities and resident involvement. After a competitive judging process, the North of the county category, which was sponsored by David Wilson Homes, went to Child’s Ercall, who were crowned the 2025 Best Kept Village - North. Joseph Smith, Head of Business Development and Philanthropy at Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire, said: “We were delighted with the increased entries in Shropshire this year and their level of community effort displayed so admirably within the entries. The competition is going from strength to strength and we thank the village communities for their efforts and our sponsors for supporting the initiative – without them, we could not continue to support the community in this way.” The Best Kept Village and Community competition has been running in Staffordshire since 1956 and was expanded to Shropshire in recent years under the guidance of the Community Foundation. Its enduring success highlights the importance of collaboration, civic pride and environmental care in rural and semi-rural areas. Helen Lewis, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Mercia: “We’re delighted to have supported this year’s Best Kept Village competition. At David Wilson Homes, we believe that true community starts with taking pride in where you live. “These awards already capture this ethos perfectly. The passion and teamwork shown by all the villages involved is inspiring and we’re proud to have played our part in celebrating their efforts. We hope the new residents at our communities will take the time to explore these surrounding villages and appreciate their beauty.” For more information about the organisation and the awards, visit the shropshire.foundation website.
