A Shropshire village which has demonstrated strong community spirit and a commitment to bringing people together has been named the overall county winner of this year’s Best Kept Village and Community Awards. The Best Kept Village and Community Awards, run by the Community Foundation for Staffordshire & Shropshire, recognise the people and communities helping to make Shropshire a great place to live. Highley was named the 2026 overall county winner, having also taken the South title, while Ellerdine was named Best Village in the North. Bicton was the North runner-up and The Strettons were runners-up in the South. The awards celebrate not only the appearance of local villages, but also the community spirit, activities, groups and initiatives which help bring people together throughout the year. A team of volunteer judges visited the entrants to assess their maintenance and community spirit. Appearance accounts for 30 per cent of the marks, while 70 per cent is based on evidence of inclusivity, year-round events, clubs and community cohesion. Highley was recognised for the strength of its community, with the village also taking three further awards recognising the contribution of local groups and young people. The Inspiring Groups award went to Highley Parish Council Environmental & Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) Working Group, while Highley Youth Club was named the winner of the Vision of BKVC – Young People award. Two Brownies from Highley – Sienna and Macey – were the winner and runner-up in the Picture This category for eight- to 11-year-olds. A spokesperson from Highley Parish Council said: “Highley is not just a village but a community. All the groups come together to make it a great place to live. “We are speechless to win the Best of the County and we couldn't be prouder of our village, and we are grateful to the Community Foundation for hosting the awards.” Steve Adams, chief executive of the Community Foundation for Staffordshire & Shropshire, added: “The Best Kept Village and Community Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the people who make such a difference to their local communities. “Being a great place to live is about much more than how a village looks. It is about the people who get involved, the groups and organisations bringing people together and the pride communities take in where they live. “Congratulations to Highley on being named our overall winner, and to all of this year’s winners and runners-up. Every community taking part should be proud of the time, energy and enthusiasm which goes into making their villages such special places.” The awards are supported by lead sponsor Housing Plus Group, and were presented by Leigh Willott and Suzy Cole of the Community Foundation. Full list of 2026 winners: Best Village – North: Ellerdine Runner-up – North: Bicton Best Village – South: Highley Runner-up – South: The Strettons Inspiring Group: Highley Parish Council Environmental & LNRS Working Group Vision of BKVC – Young People: Highley Youth Club Picture This: Sienna (winner) and Macey (runner-up) Overall county winner: Highley