calor community of the year 2008

United Kingdom, Scottish and Island

Calor Community of the Year 2008

The awards were organised by Calor Scotland with support from the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) and Rural Gateway.

 
 
“How did Barra win Village of the Year? Teamwork, togetherness and a remarkable community spirit”
The Scotsman 
 
“Rocky Atlantic isle of Barra crowned best village in Britain - It is an award most often associated with chocolate box villages boasting tightly-manicured lawns and rows upon row of perfect hanging baskets.”
The Telegraph.
 
At a ceremony at London's Guildhall on Tuesday 3rd December 2008 the Isle of Barra, island of the Outer Hebrides, was proclaimed Calor UK Village of the Year 2008, securing the title in the face of competition from hundreds of other rural – and non-sea-girt – communities throughout Britain.
 
"What made it for Barra," says Suzanne Weir, manager of the competition, "was how the population work together to address the challenges of living in such an isolated location, and the genuine desire to work as a team to create the best working, living and social environment possible." The strength of its community that impressed the judges, who commended its cross-generational community spirit as well as its efforts to enhance its environment. Having already won the Islands Category on the Scottish Community of the Year, Eoin and Gerry were stunned when asked to go forward to accept the Scottish Winner award, and shell shocked when then asked to go forward as the first ever winners of the UK award which was being given this year for the first time.   2008 was obviously a good year to chose to enter this competition but to have swept the boards of all the top awards was above and beyond all our expectations.
 
 
The original application, the judging day in Castlebay Hall, the video, the photographs, all the effort made by the community organisations to display our community and our islands at their best, all contributed to the final success.  
 
The Communities were judged on four categories; people, business, environment and communication.
 
The people category looked at how different generations and other groups within the population, work together to help each other and provide suitable facilities and activities to help sustain the community.
The environment category addressed what communities are doing to help protect and improve the local and global environment and any conservation activities that are being undertaken.
The business category looked at how local businesses and the population interact to support one another and sustain the community.
The Communication category is designed to examine what is done to promote inclusion and ensure that people know what is happening in the community and how they can participate.
 
Groups, businesses, projects & townships were invited to provide photographs, products, local produce, information to create not only a power point presentation but also a display on boards and tables around the venue. Display boards or any promotional material were made available  for the judging day in Castlebay Community Hall. A 30minute video was made to be available for the UK judges .
  
 

Barra is the Calor Island Community Winner of the Year!

Barra is the Winner in the Islands Group for the Calor Village of The Year Competition and now goes on to the Scottish Final. The finalists in the Scottish Calor Village of the Year Competition were; Port William, South Scotland : Callendar, Central Scotland ; Boat of Garton, North Scotland and Barra, Islands Areas. Barra won the islands section and made it successfully to the finals following a submission and presentation from Gerry MacDonald, Barra and Vatersay Community Ltd. and Jessie MacNeil Voluntary Action Barra, who entered Barra into the competition because they were proud of the island, the work being done by the community and the voluntary effort going into to delivery of services and capital projects.   The Calor Awards focus on how the people in rural communities can work together to make the places they live in the best they can be for everyone.

 
 

Judges Well Impressed in Calor Competition

An excellent response to the call for support from community organisations and businesses made an impressive display for the judges in the Calor Community/Village of the Year competition.
 
The display of projects and products in Castlebay Community Hall was wide and varied, and the judges also got a taste of the cultural heritage through song, music and dance as part of the hour long presentation. Impressed by the warmth of their welcome in spite of the grey damp weather, the judges were also very impressed by the young people of the island. A number of the judges made a point of going up to the Youth Café, having been speaking to members of the Youth Council at their stall.
 
On behalf of Voluntary Action Barra and Vatersay, and Coimhearsnachd Bharraidh agus Bhatarsaidh, Jessie and Gerry would like to thank all groups and businesses who turned out and whose stalls in the hall made the islands look busy, involved and interesting.