I WAS delighted to hear my home village, Alresford, and my council ward on Tendring Council won Essex Village of the Year.

This is truly a great achievement for all the residents of Alresford who have helped over many years, from supporting the local groups and societies to the excellent management of the only public house, the Pointer, who have transformed the pub with endless events – such as ale festivals and the superb home-cooked food.

This year has been a very busy year for the country, with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the European football championships and now the Olympics.

Alresford’s community spirit played its part in making the jubilee weekend enjoyable for all.

Alresford has a long history of community spirit, where people come together to defend our village. I remember when the village came together to “Save Our Surgery”, then to voice our objection to automatic barriers, and the huge campaign to stop a quarry coming to our village.

When people care about their village, their community as a whole, people unite and help each other.

The village has several groups, from the WI and Co-op guild to the bowls club. A lunch club meets every Tuesday at the village hall and we have a well-attended church and many businesses within the village that serve us well.

Villages across the country need the welcoming community spirit that Alresford enjoys very well, and all this is down to those individuals who volunteer hours of their time – people who do so much, from the village hall management committee to Alresford Youth Project.

Alresford is preparing for the future with a new extension to the village hall, the successful grant our church has received and the skateboard park in the pipeline. We, as a community, are making our claim to become the best in the UK.

With great countryside walks to our old church, St Peter’s, the peaceful walks to the creek and the influx of new residents moving to Alresford, I am proud to be the district councillor and resident of Alresford, Essex Village of the Year 2012.

The best of luck for the national finals!

GARY SCOTT

Laxton Road

Alresford