‘Tremendous community spirit’ helps villages earn national recognition

Fiskerton-cum-Morton has been named among the best places to live in Britain by the Sunday Times.

The two villages, which are linked by one parish council, came fourth out of ten idyllic locations in the Midlands.

Mr Robert Lancaster, chairman of Fiskerton-cum-Morton Parish Council, said: “We are delighted that we have been recognised as a great place to live.

“There is a nice atmosphere in the villages and a tremendous community spirit. People always acknowledge each other and it creates a real sense of camaraderie.”

The Sunday Times’ annual Best Places To Live In Britain guide assesses a wide range of factors, from jobs, schools and broadband speed to culture, community spirit and shops.

The villages have a salon, post office, shop and two pubs, The Bromley at Fiskerton and The Full Moon at Morton.

Both villages are picturesque, offering far-reaching views, with Fiskerton particularly benefiting from its River Trent-side location.

Mr Roger Blaney, leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, is the area’s local councillor.

He said: “We all know that it is one of the best places to live and it is nice to get that national recognition.

“I never fail to be uplifted by a walk on the riverside and see the properties there. It has a real seaside feel with a great network of footpaths to enjoy.”

A range of societies have a strong presence in the villages, including a thriving local history society.

Football, cricket and croquet clubs are all on offer as part of the sports and gala association.

'You can call on anyone if you needed help'

Mr Blaney said Fiskerton-cum-Morton was the smallest in population of the locations that made the Sunday Times list, and the only one in Nottinghamshire.

Mrs Lesley Hare, president of Morton, Fiskerton and Rolleston Women’s Institute, said: “The villages are very picturesque but they also have great transport links, being just off the A1, and Fiskerton Station is within walking distance from both villages.

“People here are friendly. It is a place where you feel you can call on anyone if you needed help.”

The area previously made headlines for its community scheme to deliver superfast broadband to all 370 households in both villages, after missing out on the BT and Nottinghamshire County Council’s £20m Better Broadband scheme in 2014.

The scheme is called F4RN (Fibre For Rural Nottinghamshire) and is now a registered company. Many of the villages’ residents are shareholders.

Mr Ted Ward, of the F4RN team, said: “We are in the top 2% of the country for broadband speed, which adds to the whole raft of things that make the villages an attractive place to live.”

Commenting on the broadband project parish council chairman Mr Lancaster said: “I spoke to a couple of new residents who said the main reason they chose Fiskerton-cum-Morton was the broadband speeds, which highlights the sense of community spirit and enterprise.

“We have such a wealth of talent in the villages, from engineers and scientists to project managers who were able to make it happen.”

According to the Sunday Times, the best places to live list is formulated using robust statistics, combined with judges’ on-the-ground experience.