Countryside Alliance Awards closes to nominations

The Countryside Alliance Awards have now closed to nominations and we send a big thank you to all those who nominated their favourite rural businesses. Letters have been hitting the doormats of the thousands of businesses that were nominated this week telling them the exciting news that their customers think they are pretty special. We have had a great selection of businesses nominated from livery yards to sensory farms and all the fantastic butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers in between.

We now have the tough task of short listing the businesses for Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the English regions which we are hoping to announce before Christmas. We will be looking for businesses that are the hub of the local community and go the extra mile.

We then hand the Awards back over to you and we will be asking you to vote for your favourite finalists. The competition will be tough and businesses will also be asked to drum up their support which is why you need to champion the businesses that you love.

The Countryside Alliance Awards are our annual celebration of rural businesses that go above and beyond, supporting their local economy and being the unsung heroes of their community.

The 'Rural Oscars' are the gold standard in business awards, supported by the Prime Minister, media, and Masterchef judge. The feel-good factor that comes with winning cannot be overstated. Those involved tell us of the positive impact this recognition has had on them, their business, and their community.

The Rural Oscars are just another example of how we will always stand up for the countryside, its communities, and the rural way of life.

You can read about the Awards process here and see more about our categories here.