GWENT’s annual best kept village competition celebrated 2013’s winners at their presentation evening, last week.

The competition, organised by Gwent Association of Voluntary organisations (GAVO), was sponsored by Chepstow Garden Centre for the fifth year, which also hosted the presentation ceremony.

This year saw several new entries in the schools category where school children were awarded for enhancing their school grounds. Archbishop Rowan Williams Church in Wales school and Pengam primary were the joint winners.

Villages are split between different population categories, with awards available for pubs, churchyards, halls, memorials and schools.

Several villages picked up double awards on the night. Redwick won the awards for best kept Village Hall and Churchyard and Shirenewton picked up best kept Village Hall and War Memorial.

Another popular category is the pubs competition. The pubs are judged from the outside and, once again, landlords and managers played their part with some outstanding displays. Coed-y-Paen’s Carpenters Arms, Llanfair Discoed’s Woodland Tavern and the Golden Lion in Magor were all winners.

Langstone, Oakdale and Crosskeys were among many villages who picked up awards on the night.