John Gough’s stirling efforts earned Highnam the coverted Bledisloe Cup for the best kept large village in Gloucestershire.

John was out mowing the lawns and making repairs around the village every day during the three month spell between June and August when the Bledisloe Cup judges came to make their assessments.

“They visited us three times in all, each time meaning we had made it through another round and were one step closer to winning.” John said.

“They looked at the state of the gardens, church, parish hall, primary school, and even the public telephone box before coming to their decision.”

He added: “Winning the accolade for the first time makes all the hard effort worthwhile and gives the whole village something to be proud of.”

Parish Clerk Peter Higgins (73) added, “It is the oldest best kept village competition in the country and to come out on top is fantastic.

“We were runners up two years ago, and had been commended before that, but to actually win is a great tonic for the whole community.

(Article published in the Gloucester Citizen in August 1996)