Residents and local councillors gathered in Nettleham recently for the unveiling of a bench recognising the village as one of the best kept in Lincolnshire.
 
Nettleham was named as joint winner of the Best Kept Village 50th Anniversary award, organised by Community Lincs. Sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this special award was given to Nettleham and also to Tealby for having the most consistent scores in the past fifty years of the competition.

Pennells Garden Centres, which sponsor the annual award and donate trees to the winning villages each year, donated a bench to both of the overall winners. Managing director Richard Pennell said:

“These two villages over the years have been consistently good. The enthusiasm of the people involved and the care that they take is great.”

The Lincolnshire Best Kept Village competition has been run by Community Lincs since 1962. In that time Nettleham has won its category (for villages between 2,001 and 7,000 residents) 11 times, most recently in 2010. Tealby has won its category eight times, coming second on 10 occasions.
 
Speaking at the presentation of the bench on Nettleham village green, chairman of Nettleham Parish Council Cllr Terry Williams said:

“This was very much a tri-partite effort. It was an effort on the part of our residents, businesses and the parish council.
 
“I thank the residents all for their contribution over a 50 year period, for making sure our gardens are kept neat and tidy.
 
“I also thank the businesses around the village for making sure their premises are neat and tidy and making sure they have flower displays.
 
“The contribution of the parish council has been making sure the verges are tidy and cut.”

Co-ordinator of the awards for Community Lincs, Teresa Palmer, said villages were judged on their presentation, including whether there was any litter, how memorials and churchyards were kept, whether wildlife is catered for, and community spirit. She said:

“One of the strong points of Nettleham is there are so many different groups and so much going on for all age groups.”

Conservative-controlled West Lindsey District Council has supported the competition for many years and both Nettleham district councillors attended the presentation. Cllr. Giles McNeill said:
 
 “Nettleham is such a beautiful place to live. It is thanks to the hard work of the local community, with support from the Parish Council and its staff, that Nettleham is maintained to such a high standard. I have lived here since 1990 and over the decades I have seen Nettleham change and develop, but always it has remained truly lovely.”