MOULTON WINS BEST KEPT VILLAGE 2026

MOULTON WINS BEST KEPT VILLAGE 2026

For 18 years now, Richmond Rotary Club has organised a Best Kept Village award and this year’s winner is Moulton. Moulton last won the competition in 2023. Scorton won the prize for the encouragement of Community life, while West Scrafton and Aldbrough St John won awards for the encouragement of wildlife and the natural environment. Of the new entrants Brompton and Swale was rewarded as the highest ranked. Again this year the overall standard was judged to be extremely high.

Rotarian Jos Huddleston, who organised the event, praised the high standards which reflected the enthusiastic participation of each of the villages whether they were in the prize list or not.

‘We send out judges to all the villages during the same two weeks in July, and they score each village on ten criteria ranging from public spaces and private gardens to the condition of bus shelters, shops, guest houses and inns. There is also a special emphasis on the encouragement of wildlife and on all the effort to enrich community life. Villages without some features are not penalised. After the first scoring all judgements are reviewed and a second visit by different judges is organised to leading group of villages, to be sure that the scores are accurate’, he said.

Receiving the winning prize of £400, Chair of Moulton Parish John Gentry said, ‘Thank you to Richmond Rotary Club for giving their time and donating prizes, and also big thanks to all our villagers for keeping Moulton looking so beautiful all year round. Working to win this contest is a real team effort.’

Current Richmond Rotary Club President, Ian Hepworth made the presentation to Moulton this week and said that he was delighted that the competition encouraged so many people to participate and take pride in their locality. ‘There is every reason to be proud of the area where we live, and all our beautiful villages well deserve the recognition that Rotary gives them through this annual competition.’

FULL RESULTS:

First Prize £400, the Richmond Rotary Best Kept Village 2026: Moulton

Award for the encouragement of Community Activity - £100: Scorton

Award for the encouragement of the Natural Environment and Wildlife 2x £60:  West Scrafton and Aldbrough St John

Highest placed new entrant £100:  Brompton on Swale 

Highly Recommended overall: West Burton, Melsonby and Bellerby.

Highly Recommended for the encouragement of the Natural Environment and Wildlife:  Colburn Village.

Further information is available from:

Jos Huddleston Phone: 01748 822816        Mobile: 07507 738441                         

Mac Bryant Phone:       01325 377746        Mobile: 07803 239870