A Gloucestershire village has been named as neighbourhood of the year in a national award scheme.

Berry Hill has received the top prize of £1,000 in the awards run by Nextdoor Inc, a worldwide network aimed at fostering networking and information exchange.

There were almost 5,000 entries across the UK with people nominating individuals, groups and businesses that have supported their communities over the past year.

From acts of kindness and local initiatives for surviving lockdown to efforts in making neighbourhoods more sustainable for the future, this year's awards celebrate the strength, goodwill and resilience of neighbourhoods across the UK.

Community member Richard Robinson nominated Berry Hill for the award with the prize money going towards funding a local improvement project.

The Berry Hill community were commended for coming together to support one another throughout lockdown. Activities included organising delivery of food supplies for those in need, starting a community orchard, hosting local events to keep spirits up including 'Strictly Home Dancing,' an Easter tractor rally plus a 280 strong scarecrow competition with accompanying map to encourage people to get out and about.

Meanwhile, the village also created community sharing points for food and books and raised funds to purchase and install two defibrillators in the community telephone kiosks.

Nextdoor user and Good Neighbourhood Award ambassador, the former BBC Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq, visited Berry Hill to find out more about what makes the village so special.

On the award win, Tim Gwilliam, Berry Hill District Councillor, said: "Being named Neighbourhood of the Year is a huge honour for the members of our local community and the surrounding areas.

"This past year the community spirit and initiatives driven by our residents has been nothing short of incredible. The sense of community, pride and friendship shown during this difficult period has been amazing to see and reminds us that our communities and neighbourhoods still have a vital role to play in our lives."

Roisin O'Neill, Head of Community UK at Nextdoor, said: "Reading through the thousands of entries we received for this year's awards has shown us just how strong the sense of community is in the UK.

"The pandemic has reminded people of how important our neighbourhoods are to us and that kindness and support will always be at the heart of the British public and we're thrilled to reveal Berry Hill as this year's Neighbourhood of the Year.''

Nextdoor provides information and builds 'real-world connections' with those nearby — neighbours, businesses, and public services.

To find out more about the 2021 Good Neighbourhood Award winners check out go.nextdoor.com/goodneighbourhoodawards or to join your local community visit nextdoor.co.uk.