Bledisloe Cup - Competition Winners since 2000

Bourton-on-the-Hill - Winners 2008, 1995 & 1991

Started in 1937, The Bledisloe Cup best kept village competition celebrated the success of village communities in Gloucestershire in caring for their local environment. It was a competition for all villages large and small, and all villages had an equal chance of success - there were no extra marks for beauty whether in architecture or location. The Bledisloe Cup competition judges looked for villages that demonstrated pride and care. This meant involving local people in protecting and enhancing their environment - for example by encouraging wild life; by keeping paths, open spaces and roads tidy and free from litter; by running a composting or recycling scheme; or by undertaking a project to celebrate and record village heritage.

Parishes and community groups could enter. There were four categories of best kept village competition - large, medium and small villages and a separate category for villages which had not entered the Bledisloe Cup competition in the last 10 years.

The first three categories of winning villages received a special trophy and the Bledisloe Cup best kept village sign which they retained for a year. The separate category was awarded the C & G Cup. All winners received a plaque and a cheque for £250. Plaques were also awarded to the runners up in each category. There was also a Plate competition for the best of the previous year's Bledisloe Cup best kept village winners.

We understand that a decision was made in January 2009 by the Gloucester branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (who ran the competition) to scrap the competition due to increasing costs and lack of interest.