East Devon communitites offered chance to win cash in new Devon Community of the Year competition

COMMUNITIES in the Sid and Otter Valleys should shout about their way of life and possibly win �500.

The Community Council has today launched (April 4) a new annual competition open to any Devon group, town, village, or society, that thinks and acts like a community and has worked to improve their physical or social environment.

David Baker, chairman of the Community Council of Devon said: “We are looking to communities, big, or small, to show us what they have been doing.

“David Cameron talks about ‘Big Society’, and we want to show him, and the rest of the country, that communities in Devon have been doing this kind of work for many years.

“We know communities in East Devon are working really hard to improve where and how they live, and we think they should be rewarded for doing so.

“We want this competition to encourage communities to learn from each other and see how they can apply innovative solutions for the benefit and enjoyment of all.”

This year’s competition has two special categories – Green Community and Healthy Community – as they represent two of the more topical issues faced by our communities. There are prizes of �250 for each winner, sponsored by South West Water and NHS Devon.

Chris Loughlin, SWW chief executive said the company was proud to sponsor the awards, adding: “Over the last 20 years, our �2 billion Clean Sweep investment has modernised sewerage services for communities around Devon while helping protect the county’s natural environment.”

Ann James, chief executive of NHS Devon, said: “Local communities are at the heart of what we do…The competition provides a great opportunity for communities to show what hard work and true community spirit can achieve.”

The Devon Community of the Year could be: a community that encourages the use of allotments and creation of home-made food, one that has lost its shop, post office or pub and come together to replace it; or even a new community, such as a housing estate or a new school community, working together for the benefit of each other.

Check out www.devonrcc.org.uk to see how your community could win this prize.