Pickmere is named best kept in county (From Knutsford Guardian)

Pickmere is named best kept in county

8:40am Friday 19th October 2012 in News By James Wilson

PICKMERE has been named as the best place to live in Cheshire.

The village was named as the best kept village or market town at an awards ceremony held by Cheshire Community Action on Friday, October 4.

The 56th Community Pride Competition was celebrated at the Middlewich Civic Hall in the presence of a large gathering of civic leaders, MPs, parish councillors and competition judges who had travelled from all parts of the county.

As well as the main prize, Pickmere also picked up the ‘Little Gem’ award – for its gate near Pickmere Lake – as well as the best kept award for a village with a population between 401 and 600.

Pickmere Parish Clr Virginia Brown was on hand at the ceremony to pick up the awards, which also featured a painting of Pickmere by artist Gordon Wilkinson.

Clr Brown said: “We never, ever expected to achieve what we did – it was really special.

“We haven’t got the reasons yet why we won it but we’d like to thank the people who litter pick and clean up every day and every week.

“One person actually does it every day but I don’t think they’d appreciate me naming them.”

Sylvia Batty, who is in charge of the community pride judges, said: “The overall comment from the judges for Pickmere was that it was very well maintained and a great deal of care went into keeping the village attractive.”

Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs MBE was the speaker for the evening, while Edward Brady of ESSAR OIL UK, sponsor of the competition, presented the plaques and cheques.