Swimbridge wins Prince of Wales accolade
Three leading organisations in a North Devon village, who come together to improve the lives of local residents and visitors, have won this year’s Prince of Wales Award, which will be presented at the Devon County Show, May 21-23.
Swimbridge Jubilee Hall Committee, Parish Council and Parochial Church Council will jointly receive the accolade awarded by HRH The Prince of Wales, administered by Devon County Agricultural Association (DCAA), to recognise community sustainability initiatives in rural Devon.
Lady Arran, one of the judges, said: “We greatly enjoyed visiting the three finalists and after considerable deliberation concluded that Swimbridge would be very worthy winners of the Prince of Wales Award 2015.
“They have come together as a village to achieve three significant projects for community benefit in a very rural area.
“They have rebuilt their Jubilee Hall, resulting in excellent space for many differing activities; as well as a Streamside Garden, where all generations can enjoy themselves in safety, particularly in the holidays and after school: and the final part is the Green Team, which encompasses all ages who volunteer to look after the village and keep it very tidy. The village pub [The Jack Russell Inn] has become the focal point providing refreshments for the helpers for their endeavours.”
The bid was co-ordinated by David Netherway, who said they were keen to share their experience of three recent projects so that other groups could replicate them.
Mr Netherway said: “We believe working together brings benefits to everyone. It maximises the value each project brings to the community. Lessons learnt, skills discovered and equipment and resources can be shared. It has been a great honour to win the award, everyone is so pleased that their efforts have been recognised, and it will help in bringing forward several more projects we have planned.”
The Streamside Garden has been created from an unused and overgrown part of the churchyard and is now a well-loved community garden.
Rector, Rev Shaun O’Rourke said: “It's been a wonderful and rewarding project that reaches out to the whole community, it is wonderful to see our local community come together and to work in partnership, there is a great sense of community ownership and I believe that working together has brought us many rewards”
Pre-school and Primary school children are regular users. Teacher Sandra Tibbles of Swimbridge Church of England School said: “The Streamside Garden is a great resource to be able to use, and one that our children had helped to create.”
Local people have spent seven years extending, improving and completely refurbishing the 1938 Jubilee Hall to keep it as the hub of the local community.
Julie Whitton , who masterminded this major project said: "It has been a fantastic journey to deliver new hall for our community, and to have worked with so many enthusiastic people who have given their skills and time to make it happen.”
The Swimbridge Parish Green Team meets every third Saturday morning to help look after the village’s outdoor community assets.
Parish Councillor and a Green Team leader Ian McLaughlin said: “It has been a great success, and given people and families a chance to work together in our village.”
The DCAA has played a leading role in the development of agriculture and the rural economy in Devon since its formation in 1872. It stages the Devon County Show in the third week of May and also makes a number of awards and bursaries.
