Freeman Homes sponsors GRCC Village of the Year: insights from 2025 and why we’re back in 2026

Why did Freeman Homes sponsor the awards in 2025?

Our business’ purpose is Improving Communities and we do that by delivering A-rated, quality homes on small developments that fit sensitively into village settings, while working with the communities to strengthen local services, shared spaces and connections. Sponsoring the Gloucestershire Village of the Year Awards let us see first-hand to what villagers value and the challenges they face, enabling us to add value to enhance rural villages and continue to improve the communities in which we build.

What did you learn from judging visits and community conversations?

It was wonderful to see and hear first-hand the passion people have to make their villages a great place to live and to understand the challenges they need to overcome.  Understanding how villages use shared spaces, tackle social inclusion and the desire to bring generations together can help developers work more closely with communities at the planning stage to work together to improve communities and enable the financial contributions developers make, to be used in ways communities need and want them to be used.

How does sponsorship align with your business purpose, “Improving Communities”?

The awards help communities identify what it is that makes their village great and helps them ways to continuously improve their villages.  The entry form has been developed by GRCC and is a wonderful tool to aid reflection and prompt ideas for improvement.  The winners of each category receive prize money to enable them to implement positive changes.  By sponsoring the awards we are helping villages to keep moving forward.

Why are you sponsoring again in 2026?

We were really impressed with the work GRCC has done to run the awards and the impact they have had on villages.  For Freeman Homes, collaboration is essential and working with others who share our vision and values is key to us improving communities.  We hope the awards will continue to encourage broader participation across Gloucestershire and highlight what it is that makes a village outstanding to help other communities develop.  We also hope it highlights the importance to keep progressing, especially in terms of the climate, environment and sustainability.  As a family-led business, we are building responsibly, delivering EPC A-rated homes and ensuring we go over minimum requirements, enhancing biodiversity and helping homeowners reduce their carbon footprint. 

What’s the benefit for villages?

Recognition, funding and momentum. The awards help villages gather stakeholders, showcase achievements, and secure resources for projects that matters.  We also hope it enables villagers to see how great their communities are and continue to collaborate and encourage younger people to get involved in village life, whether that is joining the parish council. starting a club or recognising ways their community can be more sustainable. 

And for businesses considering sponsorship?

This is purposeful partnership. Sponsorship delivers authentic engagement, positive local PR and real social value. You’ll meet inspiring volunteers and leaders, learn what communities need, and help fund the projects that make villages thrive. We’d love to see more local businesses join us.