Village hopes for the red carpet treatment

May 2 2008 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

Village hopes for the red carpet treatment

WITH bluebell fields, award-winning community spirit and one-stop village shop and post office, Barrow could be the envy of Northern England.

The Cheshire village, which won Best Cheshire Village in the Community Pride section, will find out next week if they are overall winner in the Calor Gas sponsored regional finals.

If they win, villagers could be heading to a glittering awards ceremony in London in December.

Barrow will compete with other villages dotted throughout Northern England in Yorkshire, Northumberland, Lancashire and Cumbria.

Barrow has come a long way since parish councillor Jane Hastings set up a steering committee to enter the Cheshire Community Council Awards over a year ago.

Barrow-based businesses have worked closely with villagers and the school in a concerted effort to demonstrate to outsiders that the village is one of the Best in Britain.

Last Monday judges from the Calor Gas sponsored Village of the Year annual competition were given a two-hour flavour of Barrow life on a whistlestop tour.

Organiser Jane Hastings could be notified next week if Barrow is a regional finalist or has won one of the categories.

Parish councillor Jane Hastings explained: “The village really did go to town in getting involved in these awards I have been thrilled to bits. The day before judges came we had a celebration day.

“The community got together with local businesses and we had 40 exhibitions on display on the Sunday which is worthy of a small town.”