A village website has caught the eye of the Cabinet Office.

Upchurch Matters has been recognised as a prime example of how the government’s commitment to the Big Society should work.

The concept believes people want to live in better-connected communities where they work together for the common good.

The government is encouraging organisations and individuals to start such schemes.

MP Gordon Henderson wrote to Civil Society Minister Nick Hurd to highlight how Upchurch resident Louis Newbery promotes the local community through the website and social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.

As a result, Victoria Westhorp, a policy manger who works in the intelligence team of the Office for Civil Society, travelled to Mr Newbery’s Horsham Lane home, last month to speak to him about his venture.

Since taking over the site in March last year it has had more than 51,000 page views.

Mr Newbery said: “I thought it went very well. She was very impressed that the website is self-funding through the advertisements on there and how professional it looks.

“She said she was going to go away and write a report for Nick Hurd. I don’t know what will happen after that.”

In a letter to Mr Newbery, Ms Westhorp wrote: “It is great to see such a vibrant and professional community website that is clearly well used.

“I am impressed this venture is self-sustaining through advertising revenue and is a great model I hope others will be able to use.”