BRATTON was recently awarded an eight-foot standard with a mounted shield after it was judged to be the Best Kept Large Village in West Wiltshire.
The Tidy Bratton Group, alongside members of the parish council and the Bratton Village Crier Ray Davis, met the judges of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) competition last Sunday on the edge of the village green in the centre of the village where the plaque was unveiled by the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton.
Cllr James Sheppard, chairman of Wiltshire Council, presented the plaque to April and Chris Tarling, organisers of the Tidy Bratton group. Pradeep Bhardwaj, High Sheriff of Wiltshire, then presented the CPRE Wiltshire certificate to Peter Brabner of the Reeves Orchard group.
Pawel Kisielewski, chief executive officer of CCm Technologies, presented their plaque to Peter Needham, a member of the Monday Gang who maintain the churchyard.
Ken McCall, of CPRE’s West Wiltshire group, presented the CPRE West Wiltshire certificate to Keith Rayward, chair of Bratton Parish Council. Finally, Ray Davis, the Village Crier, gave a vote of thanks to villagers, the presentation team and the sponsors.
The judges found that Bratton had well-maintained public areas and churchyards and described the village green with its children’s playground as “immaculate”. They also commented favourably on the recreation ground and the community orchard. They felt that “the Tidy Bratton Group obviously did an excellent job” and that “Bratton is a thriving area and full of excellent community spirit”.
