Two Isle of Wight locations have been shortlisted for prestigious awards and the public are being asked to get behind them in a public vote.
Sandown Bay has been shortlisted as Best British Beach and Bembridge as Village of the Year in the Countryfile Magazine Awards.
It’s now down to a public vote to decide the winner. The online vote has not got underway and will run until midnight on 17 February.
Both Bembridge and Sandown Bay are representing not only the Isle of Wight but also the entire south of the UK.
Sandown Bay is up against stiff competition from 5 other beaches around the UK including Cefn Sidan in Carmarthenshire, White Park Bay in Antrim, Seaham in Durham, Machrihanish Bay in Argyll and Kintyre, and Newborough Warren in Anglesey.
To win the title Village of the Year, Bembridge will need to fight it’s corner against Ingleton in North Yorkshire, Drummore in Scotland, Cartmel in Cumbria, Bwlch in Powys and Church Minshull in Cheshire.
The Countryfile Magazine website says Bembridge is recognised as ‘a wonderful coastal setting with a pier and lifeboat station, plus a busy village community with independent shops, cafés and restaurants.’
Let’s get behind Bembridge, let’s get behind Sandown Bay and let’s bring these two awards to this Island.
To support Sandown Bay and Bembridge in the Countryfile Magazine online vote, please go to https://www.countryfile.com/awards/