The competition now consists of five categories:

• Environment
• Business
• Older People
• Younger People
• Community Life

A prize is awarded for each category as well as an overall Village of the Year winner. There were 21 entries (a record number) for the 2003 competition and Bricket Wood’s entry was a first time event.

In early May, on behalf of the BWRA and endorsed by St Stephen Parish Council, I submitted written replies to a detailed questionnaire on each category from CPRE-The Hertfordshire Society. About three weeks later I received confirmation that our entry had been accepted and that we would be visited by three judges on the morning of June 25th for up to an hour and a quarter — not very long.

There followed an intense period of activity preparing display material, talking to people in the village to ask for their help and/or attendance on the day and persuading some to be willing to give a short presentation to the judges in the various categories. Fortunately for me — nobody said "No". With the kind agreement of St Lukes Church I was able to borrow their display stand and this was supplemented by the loan of display panels from Liz Arendt (Hearing Dogs) which enabled me to display photographs and write-ups describing aspects of of village activities in each of the five categories. In addition Dave Parry displayed some scouting/guiding photographs and the Bricket Wood Society provided their own comprehensive village historical display.

After many short nights the day finally dawned and some thirty villagers assembled in the Council Room of the St Stephen Parish Centre, including toddler Adam Willis, Sarah and Hannah Tongue in Scouts and Brownies uniform respectively and Hearing Dog Ruffles resplendent in his Hearing Dogs for Deaf People outfit. Satya Norris of Tulsi’s Florist provided two magnificent flower arrangements for the judges’ table and Richard McFarland created a mouth-watering display of chocolate profiteroles, cream meringues and strawberry tartlets — which we were eventually allowed to consume. Maybe this is what sold us to the judges — who knows, but thank you anyway Richard.

The judges arrived on time at 11.45am (having earlier visited Shenley) and after a short visit to the First Steps Kindergarten downstairs, the first part of the morning was taken up by eleven speakers each contributing some three minutes or so of commentary on their nominated category topic. Following a few questions the judges then circulated amongst those present, talking freely and looking at the displays.

The visit ended with some closing remarks by Cllr John Ollerenshaw after which Ann Morton (who had spoken on our environmental activities) and I escorted the Judges, at their request, to Mount Pleasant Lane School. There we were shown the school environmental project areas by Mrs Webster-Smith and the Deputy Headmaster Mr Chris Jukes. By now we were encroaching on the judges’ luncheon time prior to their next visit, which was to be London Colney. After words of thanks and appreciation from both sides the judges swiftly departed, each carrying a folder containing a copy of the combined St Luke’s and URC Welcome Pack and the BWRA Welcome Pack given to newcomers to the village. To round off their ‘bedtime reading’ I included also a copy of the Bricket Wood Society’s booklet entitled ‘A Souvenir of Bricket Wood”

On July 26th, Mike Carter and I, accompanied by our wives, attended Flamstead (overall Village of the Year winner) to be presented with a Calor Gas Certificate as additional recognition of Bricket Wood’s achievement in the 2003 competition as Community Life Category Winner. As a matter of record you might like to know that Redbourn and Flamstead have each been overall winner twice. So we know what the target is for next year.
Any volunteers???

My thanks go to St Stephen Parish Council for use of the facility and to Juliet Pienaar, Carol Hardy and Judith Massey from the Parish Office for invaluable administrative support. A full list of those who met with the judges is included here as grateful acknow ledgement of their contribution to success and my thanks go also to those who provided information and

Maurice Davidov (Village of the Year Organiser - 2003)