FOREST Council Leader Tim Gwilliam says he is “incredibly proud” of his Berry Hill ward after the village was shortlisted for a county-wide community award from the BBC.

The village has been named in the final four of the Community Group category of BBC Gloucestershire’s Make a Difference Awards for 2022 - with Tim himself having nominated the village for its community spirit during the pandemic.

Reaching the final four marks even more widespread recognition for the community, after the village was crowned ‘Neighbourhood of the Year’ for 2021 by online network Nextdoor last September.

The latest nod follows a national campaign from the BBC, in which people were invited to nominate fellow residents and their communities across eight different categories.

The Community category received over 250 nominations, with the those for Berry Hill  focusing on the village’s “community spirit and togetherness”.

Cllr Gwilliam said of the nomination: “A few months ago I was alerted to the BBC’s Make a Difference Awards 2022.

“These awards were aimed at people who do extraordinary things and I completed the form nominating the people of Berry Hill for all they have done for each other during Covid and beyond.

“My ward colleague, Cllr Jamie Elsmore and I, are incredibly proud that Berry Hill has been shortlisted for the award and are in the final four.

“A special ceremony will be held in September and we will arrange for two members of this brilliant community to attend.

“The community work being done in Berry Hill is just one example of the spirit that is prevalent throughout the Forest of Dean, with people looking out for each other and displaying true community values and empathy that do indeed “make a difference”.”

Throughout lockdown, residents of Berry Hill organised a series of outdoor events and activities to keep spirits high, including the popular scarecrow trail and Easter tractor rally.

Volunteers also worked to refurbish Berry Hill Social Club so that it could be used as a meeting point and event space post-lockdown.

The rugby club provided outdoor youth activities for the village and raised funds to purchase and install two defibrillators in disused community phone boxes.

The phone booths were painted blue by members of the community to show support for NHS workers, and people also started to use them to donate their unwanted items such as books and seed packets.

A free community library was also setup in the Post Office, and the community orchard was continuously maintained by volunteers for the benefit of wildlife and local people.

The Make a Difference awards will be presented on Saturday, September 24 at Cheltenham Racecourse, with the event and winners published on the BBC website at www.bbc.co.uk/makeadifference.