GRCC Gloucestershire Village of the Year 2026

Could your village be the winner of GRCC’s Gloucestershire Village of the Year 2026, and win a share of the £15,000 total prize money for your community?

This is an opportunity for communities to show that they are proactive, caring and, irrespective of size, making the best of local opportunities to sustain or enhance the quality of life for all their residents. The competition is open to villages with a parish council or parish meeting with a total population of under 4,000. Entry forms are available now to download from here , and the deadline for entries is Monday 18th May 2026. 

Villages will be judged on five categories:

• Community Led Health and Wellbeing (including mental health)
• Climate & Environment (Resilience)   
• Volunteering & Skills in the Community
• Digital
• High Sheriff’s Young Person’s Overcoming Adversity Award

After the judges’ visits have taken place in June, representatives from the shortlisted communities will be invited to the awards ceremony in July at the prestigious Highnam Court, where the achievements of those who have taken part will be celebrated and the winners announced. A cheque for £2,000 together with a framed commemorative certificate and plaque will be awarded to the overall winner and to each of the individual category winners. The overall runner-up and the four category runners-up will each receive £1,000, and a framed certificate and plaque. This year’s competition also features a special award from the High Sheriff for a young person overcoming adversity.

GRCC is proud to be partnering with Cotswold District Council, Stroud District Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council, Freeman Homes and the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire again, and welcoming new sponsors Gloucestershire Employment and Skills Hub and the Royal Agricultural University. We are also lucky to have the support of Renishaw, B & Q, the local media and Cotswold Life. All entries will be automatically entered into the Grand Prize Draw with the chance to win prizes worth over £500 donated by B&Q in Gloucester.

The GRCC team are on hand to advise on the completion of entry forms and can be contacted by emailing info@grcc.org.uk or by calling 01452 528491.

Bookmark this page to keep up to date with the competition - latest news about the competition will always be added here.

Download your 2026 Gloucestershire Village of the Year entry form here.

Photo caption - left to right: Roy Balgobin Painswick Parish Council Clerk, Barbara Piranty GRCC CEO, Steve Moore GRCC Community Development Officer, Duncan McGaw GRCC Trustee, David Little Painswick Beacon Conservation Group, Delyth Allen Painswick Community Support Group, pictured in Painswick St Mary's Churchyard at the launch of GRCC's Gloucestershire Village of the Year 2026 Competition on 24th February 2026.