A village appraisal is a detailed analysis of the needs of a village, usually involving completion of a questionnaire by residents, followed by analysis of the responses and the creation of an action plan to address the issues raised.

Stilton undertook an extensive village appraisal in 1999. A structured questionnaire was delivered to every household in the village, then collected, and entered into a distributed database by a team of volunteers. The data were analysed, and a printed report, CD, and website were produced to present the findings. A project team then met to progress the issues and concerns identified.

The Stilton Village Appraisal website can be found at www.stilton-village-appraisal.org.uk