A COMPETITION offering Suffolk villages with caring communities the opportunity to win up to £10,500 has been launched.The Calor Suffolk Village of the Year Awards was launched yesterday with the support of the East Anglian Daily Times.

A COMPETITION offering Suffolk villages with caring communities the opportunity to win up to £10,500 has been launched.

The Calor Suffolk Village of the Year Awards was launched yesterday with the support of the East Anglian Daily Times.

Villages with between 500 and 3,000 electors can enter and will earn marks for strength of community spirit, management of the natural environment, the parish council and for care of the village.

The contest is run by the Suffolk Association of Local Councils (SALC), Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk County Council as well as the county's six district councils.

Sir Edward Greenwell, president of the SALC, said: "The competition highlights the enormous value of community projects like this, that bring people in rural communities together to celebrate all that is best about their villages."

The competition starts at district level and three winning villages receive prizes before going on to the semi-final. BBC Radio Suffolk's Rachel Sloane will select the county's village of this year and send it through to the national Calor Village of the Year competition.

Rona Burt, Tuddenham St Mary parish council chairman and Forest Heath district councillor, co-ordinates the competition with Mary Green, an SALC volunteer.

She said: "To enter the Village of the Year competition brings the villagers together, brings out the community spirit in the village and there is always a great deal of interest shown."

Last year 32 villages entered the competition and Homersfield won.

Chairman of its parish council, Graham Neale, said: "Winning the awards was recognition of our hard work in making Homersfield a lovely place to be."

Terry Hunt, editor of the EADT, said: "We're very lucky in this part of the world to still have some great, vibrant communities. We're looking forward to the chance to spread the word about just what a great place rural Suffolk is."

More information about Suffolk's competition is available from Mrs Burt on 01638 712309 and details of the national contest can be found at www.villageoftheyear.org or by calling 01926 318634.