The 2017 Countryside Alliance Awards, nicknamed the "Rural Oscars", will open to public nominations in September. The 13th annual awards will once again give farmers, butchers, village shops and small businesses a platform from which to tell their stories, and they will need the support of their customers to help propel them to the top prize. A new addition this year is the Best British Pub Award, so if you know of a local that supports local produce and is central to its community, prepare to let us know.
Our categories are:
- Local food/ drink Award
- Village Shop/ Post Office Award
- Butcher Award
- Rural Enterprise Award
- Pub Award
The Awards will follow the same format as in previous years:
- September - November - public nomination via our website (or let us know if you would like hard copy petitions - email [email protected] with your address)
- November - regional finalists will be notified. Our regions are Wales, North, East, Midlands, South East, South West. (NB the Scottish Countryside Alliance runs a separate scheme.)
- New Year - regional judging will take place
- March - regional champions will be announced. Welsh Champions will be declared at a reception at the Senedd in Cardiff. All regional champions will then be invited to the grand final at Parliament and their merits will be considered by a panel of experts, chaired by Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Tim Bonner.
- April - The Grand Final will be held at Parliament. All regional champions will be invited. British Champions will be announced at this event.
For more information contact [email protected] and follow us on Twitter @CAAwards - use the hashtag #RuralOscars