• Peter Richardson

Gloucestershire Village of the Year 2025 - Awards

The results of our Gloucestershire Village of the Year 2025 competition were announced at the awards ceremony at Highnam Court on the evening of Thursday 17th July.

We'd like to express our congratulations to all the winners, runners-up and highly commended entries. We'd also like to express our thanks to the competition sponsors, the judges, Highnam Court, and everyone else who contributed to the success of the competition which celebrates community life in Gloucestershire.

Scroll down for more photos.

OVERALL WINNER                Painswick (Stroud District)

Painswick performed strongly across the board, demonstrating a well-rounded community with evidence of robust infrastructure, dynamic volunteering, intergenerational activities, and community cohesion. It’s a village that is actively working to overcome the natural constraints of its geography and historic buildings to ensure accessibility and inclusion, that is working to reduce carbon emissions and developing long-term strategies for its natural environment, and which has a dedicated Community Support Group running village events and assisting vulnerable residents.  

OVERALL RUNNER UP           Frampton Mansell (Cotswold District)

Frampton Mansell scored highly across all categories and impressed the judges with its level of connectedness, activities, and the genuine love and pride the residents have for it. The village WhatsApp group has more users than there are households, and when something needs to be done it happens within hours. Events and celebrations are regularly held in the village hall or farmer’s field, and a village lottery raises funds so village events are free to attend. Many activities are intergenerational, such as the coffee morning originally for older people but which now takes place at the same time as the mother and baby group. During the judges’ visit, they were struck by how enthusiastic everyone was about their community, how many things were going on, and how welcoming the community is. The entry form, summing up what makes the community vibrant, said: “It’s just a lovely place to be!”

Category 1 – Community-Led Health & Wellbeing (including mental health)

(Sponsored by One Gloucestershire)

Winner                            Highnam (Tewkesbury Borough)

Runner Up                       Painswick (Stroud District)

Highly Commended Gotherington (Tewkesbury Borough)

Read more details about the prize winners in this category here.

Category 2 – Climate & Environment (Resilience)

(Sponsored by Cotswold District Council, Stroud District Council, and Tewkesbury Borough Council)

Winner                            Painswick (Stroud District)

Runner Up                       Highnam (Tewkesbury Borough)

Read more details about the prize winners in this category here.

Category 3 – Inclusive Community 

(Sponsored by Barnwood Trust)

Winner                            Painswick (Stroud District)

Runner Up                       Woolaston (Forest of Dean District)

Highly Commended Kingswood (Stroud District)

Read more details about the prize winners in this category here.

Category 4 – Digital & Innovation

(Sponsored by Renishaw)

Winner                            Fairford (Cotswold District)

Runner Up                       Highnam (Tewkesbury Borough)

Read more details about the prize winners in this category here.

High Sheriff Special Award for Volunteer of the Year

Di Landon, Westbury-on-Severn, Forest of Dean

Highly Commended Certificates to:

·       Mary Ann Dibbs – Fairford, Cotswold District

·       Lucy Cameron-Davies – Frampton Mansell, Cotswold District

·       Mark Oliver – Gretton, Tewkesbury Borough

·       David Owen – Kingswood, Stroud District

·       Andrew Sekinger – Minsterworth, Tewkesbury Borough

·       John Rapson – Weston-sub-Edge, Cotswold District

·       Martin Rose – Woolaston, Forest of Dean District

GRCC Special Recognition award for outstanding contribution to GRCC (posthumous)

Vicki Hewlett

Photos of all winners and runners-up

GRCC Gloucestershire Village of the Year Overall Winner - Painswick

GRCC Gloucestershire Village of the Year Overall Runner-up - Frampton Mansell

Climate and Environment (Resilience) Category Winner - Painswick

Climate and Environment (Resilience) Category Runner-up - Highnam

Community-led Health and Wellbeing Category Winner - Highnam

Community-led Health and Wellbeing Category Runner-up - Painswick

Digital and Innovation Category Winner - Fairford

Digital and Innovation Category Runner-up - Highnam

Inclusive Community Category Winner - Painswick

Inclusive Community Category Runner-up - Woolaston

High Sheriff's Special Award for Volunteer of the Year Winner - Di Landon of Westbury-on-Severn

High Sheriff's Special Award for Volunteer of the Year - Highly Commended