The results of our Photographic competition have been announced. The Judges, photographer Mike Kellett and artist Rod Brown, were impressed with the entries and finally came to the decision that the winner was Bob Law with this photo of a large skipper butterfly on knapweed flower. He wins a free MOT from Paul Bailey Car Sales.

The second prize of a meal for two at the Brewers Arms in Bicknacre went to Rob Rands for a picture of an old hollow oak tree. Highly commended were photos by Barbara Woricker and Roger Webber.

The photographs can be seen on the gallery.

Priory Fields in Bicknacre is one of the best community-run green spaces in the country – and that’s official!

Today, Priory Fields will receive the Community Award, a sign that the site is a well- managed and welcoming place, central to the local community.  A high-quality green space in the village.

Priory Fields is one of a record number of parks and green spaces receiving the Community Award this year, ensuring that even more of us now have access to well-managed, high-quality green spaces.

In 2011, 1,288 parks and green spaces will fly either the Green Flag or Community Award, a sign that the value of green space is widely acknowledged as vital to our communities.

A spokesman for The Friends of Priory Fields said -  ‘This award is the result of many hours of hard work put in by the committee and voluntary workers of The Friends.  It  will make their efforts seem all the more worthwhile to know they have achieved the required standard for this award. The Friends would like to record their thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund and various local organisations and individuals, without whose financial contributions this land would not be available for the community to enjoy.

For anyone in Bicknacre and the surrounding areas who has not yet visited the Fields, they can be found by driving through the front car park of Bicknacre School into the field car park beyond and then following the signposts to Priory Fields. We are sure you will find the journey worthwhile.’

Within the fields is the Priory Arch, the only remains of a twelfth century Priory, which is worth a visit in it’s own right.’

Phil Barton, Green Flag Plus Partnership chairman said: “I would like to congratulate this year’s winners, who have worked hard throughout the year to keep their parks and green spaces at a high standard and ensure they are pleasant and enjoyable spaces for the whole community.

“The Green Flag Award Scheme, and its growth, is essential in driving up the standards of our parks and green spaces.  Access to quality green space is something we all desire and the scheme plays a key role in providing it.

“In these challenging financial times it is heartening that the number of Community

Awards continue to grow.  As the value of green space and the role it plays in our communities strengthens, we must ensure these high standards remain.”

All award-winning sites now have the chance to receive a further award from the Green Flag Plus Partnership, the People’s Choice Award.  This award is voted for by the public, so if you want to see your local green space receive a national accolade as the People’s Choice, then visit the Green Flag Award website now to register your vote.

For those who like to walk across the fields and up to the Priory Arch you may be pleased to know that The New Bridge across the brook is now fully open again following the application of a coat of anti slip paint.  There is therefore no need to walk along to the Old Bridge or step over the chain to reach the Arch. This work was carried out as a requirement of the insurance company but be assured that public safety is paramount in everything that is done on the fields.

If you wish to pay a visit to the Priory Arch you will now have to walk along to the western end of the Water Meadow and cross the brook by the Old Bridge. This is due to the fact that the main bridge has been cordoned off following an instruction from the insurance company, whom the Friends believe, has been erroneously informed that the wire mesh covering, used as an anti slip measure, is damaged and is therefore a potential trip hazard.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and hope that this matter can be resolved in the near future.

You may never have heard of the Green Flag Community award, but it is part of a ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ scheme to encourage green spaces of all kinds to achieve national standards and thus improve green spaces generally throughout the country.

The Green Flag Community Award is aimed specifically at those green spaces where community involvement is a prime feature of the site.

As the Friends are a community group and we believe Priory Fields acheives the standards set by the award organisers, we have recently submitted an application form to be considered for this award. At some time this summer, independent judges will visit the site and decide if the Fields do indeed qualify for the award.

Should we be successful you will see a Green Flag flying over the fields later this year.

In the meantime if you would like to see the sort of open spaces which have been awarded Green Flags and the standards required, please see the website www.keepbritaintidy.org/greenflag/.