‘It’s what we deserve’: Shropshire's 'best village' celebrates award-winning community spirit

Residents of a former pit village on the bank of the River Severn are celebrating after scooping a string of awards.

Nestled on the west bank of the River Severn, the former pit village of Highley boasts a surprising range of amenities, from a riverside pub and butcher’s shop to a café and even an outdoor swimming pool.

Surrounded by acres of rolling hills and woodland, the Shropshire village has recently been celebrating after scooping a string of accolades in the 2026 Best Kept Village and Community Awards.

Highley was named Best Kept Village in south Shropshire and also took home the award for Shropshire’s best overall village. Further honours went to the village’s youth club, while Highley Parish Council’s Environmental and LNRS Working Group was recognised as the most inspiring group.

The accolades are a significant achievement for a community whose fortunes have not always been so bright.

Like former pit towns and villages around the country, Highley hasn’t had the easiest of journeys, nor has it always had the greatest reputation.

While life down the mines was hard, it provided stable employment and built strong communities. When the pits near Highley closed in January 1969, it left more than 400 people without work.

Around the country, many areas struggled to recover from pit closures with many remaining socially and economically scarred decades on.

Couple that with being a stone’s throw from the tourist-laden Bridgnorth, it’s easy to understand how Highley could be considered the down-at-heel neighbour of one of Shropshire’s favourite children.

That reputation wasn’t helped by a scandal-seeking TV crew in the early 2000s, who visited for a Sky One programme called 'Toughest Villages In Britain'.

But the latest awards tell a rather different story - one of community spirit, environmental commitment and a village working hard to create opportunities for people of all ages.

While appearance accounts for 30 per cent of the judging marks, the remaining 70 per cent is based on evidence of inclusivity, year-round events, clubs and community cohesion.

Parish Councillor Emma Aspin said it was the village’s sense of community that really bowled over the judges.

“They loved our community spirit and the fact that we are inclusive. We have groups ranging from youth clubs, rainbows and brownies to our pop-in club for the elderly, the football club, the cricket club, bowls, badminton, table tennis. We are forever evolving.

“People are always willing to step in and volunteer, whether that’s down the charity shop or litter picking or with the youth club.”

That spirit is evident in the people who call Highley home.

Ian Greig, 81, moved to the village from Birmingham 22 years ago in search of a slower pace of life. More than two decades on, he has no regrets.

“It’s ideal. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad word with anybody in Highley. The shops are brilliant, everyone’s friendly,” he said.

For local butcher Ashley Barry, the village’s mining heritage remains central to what makes it special.

“My favourite thing about Highley is the community spirit, it was a mining village and we’ve still got that community spirit.

“It’s full of friendly people - some characters - but nice people.”

For Emma, the awards are more than a welcome boost for the village. They are recognition of a passionate community that has worked hard for the village they love.

Emma added: “We’re very proud, and it’s what we deserve. We’ve had a hard rap over the years and unjustly so.

“There’s a whole wealth of things that goes on within Highley and we deserve recognition for that.”