Village steps up title challenge

THE Crow has been on a whistle-stop tour of one of the contenders for the Calor Village of the Year.

Visiting Orwell last week, The Crow met a number of residents and were shown all the sights and landmarks, including one of the village's hidden treasures - its picturesque clunch pit.

It was the same tour that a team of judges had taken only days before to decide whether the village would progress to the final of the Village of the Year.

To do so, it needs to get through the Eastern Region Final.

The village was assessed on building community life, business, helping old and young people, the environment, and information and communication technology.

Katie Reid, who has lived in Orwell for 19 years, said: "I think the judges were very impressed by our village, especially as there is so much going on.

"They talked to a lot of residents and visited a number of locations and they had a lot of nice things to say.

"They particularly liked the clunch pit, which is a popular feature in the village.

"Not only does it offer great scenery, it also has a lot of historical and scientific interest."

Orwell was given the opportunity to compete with its rivals in the east by winning the Cambridgeshire Village of the Year in 2006.

Marilynn Lawton who moved to Orwell in 1983 said: "I think there are many reasons why the village has got this far.

"One of the biggest things for me is the community - it's the people who make Orwell what it is.

"It's also a very social village and has something for everyone, with a great mix of young and old residents."

The winner of the Eastern Region Final is expected to be announced in the next few weeks.

Katie added: "It's an exciting event to be part of, and it's very rewarding for the village to be recognised in such a way.

"We would love to win, but it's going to be a big task.

"Just winning the Cambridgeshire final was great in itself, so we'll have to wait and see.