Networking: Winners Announced for South West Market Town Awards 2006

“I have been overwhelmed by the quality and variety of the applications submitted to the Scheme and I congratulate all applicants. This was the first time that the Market and Coastal Towns Association has co-ordinated the Awards and I very much believe that the Scheme has provided a great opportunity for the region to showcase the excellent work taking place in our market towns and to formally recognise the dedication and hard work of our local communities”.

Winner of Environment and Culture Category
Butts Pond Meadows
Open Spaces Group, Sturquest
Sturminster Newton, Dorset

A five acre field saved from surrounding residential development, developed by the community into a local nature reserve which hosts the Jubilee Path - a new pedestrian/cycleway linking old and new parts of the town.

Winner of Social and Community Category
The Electric Picture House
Wotton Electric Picture House Limited
Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire

A community led project which has successfully refurbished a dilapidated cinema to provide a state of the art multi-media digital facility offering a mix of films and other uses to the community, operated by volunteers.

Winner of Business and Economy Category
Promotion of Lostwithiel as a Centre for Local Food and Drink
Lostwithiel Area Forum
Lostwithiel, Cornwall

The project provided publicity for a range of local food and drink available in the Lostwithiel and Lerryn areas of Cornwall, promoting the area to tourists and encouraging local people to use local facilities.

Winner of Partnership and Strategic Working Category
Devon Heartlands Strategic Partnership Development Project
Devon Heartlands Community Partnership
Okehampton and North Tawton, Devon

A highly innovative project which recognises the close links between community and strategic planning and which provides a robust structure for ongoing strategic partnership working across the area.

All category winners will be presented with their award at a celebratory event on Thursday 20 July. During the event one of the four category winners will be announced as ‘Best Regional Market Town Project’ and will go forward to represent the south west region at the National Awards which are being co-ordinated by Action for Market Towns on 28 September in Worcestershire. Winning projects will also be published as good practice case studies.

For more information visit The Market and Coastal Towns Association web site.