The 2013 Rural Oscars will open this summer

Welcome to the website of the Countryside Alliance Awards

Nicknamed "The Rural Oscars" they are the leading rural business, produce and community awards to win. Operating across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales they celebrate the very best of rural enterprise. They are run by the Countryside Alliance, the 100,000 strong membership organisation that campaigns for rural life.

In 2013 we will run the ninth annual Awards. The UK & Ireland Champions of the 2012 Awrds are pictured above (read about them here).

Categories for the Awards are as follows:

Local Food Award, supported by Defra
Village Shop/ Post Office Award, supported by The Daily Telegraph
Butcher Award, supported by the Worshipful Company of Butchers
Start-up Award (for businesses trading for 18 months or less), supported by Hunter Boot

The Awards are public nomination led and will open to nominations here in the summer, so if you know of someone who runs a small rural business and is contributing to community life, the rural economy and the countryside's future, please nominate them. We are keen to honour the characters behind the businesses as well as the businesses themselves.

Read more about how the Awards work here.

Meantime, please shop local, eat local and back our farmers!

The "Rural Oscars" are supported by:

News:

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Champion coverage for the Rural Oscars

Friday, 15 March 2013

Leicester Mercuery: Farndon Fields farm shop: A taste of the good life
Farming Life: Paterson presents Rural Oscars
Rye & Battle Observer: MP’s congratulations to award-winning shop
Lutterworth Mail: Farm shop highly commended in ‘Rural Oscars’
Craven Herald & Pioneer: Broughton Hall business estate wins Countryside Alliance Enterprise Award
Leicester Mercury: Hero milkman now honoured at Parliament
The Daily Telegraph: Welcome to the Best Village Shop in Britain
South Wales Evening Post: Award for Gower brewery
Western Morning News: 'Farming Oscar' for family championing local food
Ballymoney Times: And the Rural Oscars go to...Cloughmills!
Neil Parish MP congratulates local farm on winning “Rural Oscar”
Harborough Mail: Farm shop highly commended in ‘Rural Oscars’
Northern Echo: Cross Lanes Organic Farm highly commended in "rural Oscars"
Bradford Telegraph & Argus: Skipton's Broughton Hall project scoops ‘rural Oscar’
The Journal: Independent butchers' meat is a cut above the rest
ITV: Shooting school wins Countryside Alliance Award
ITV: Business booms for renovated shop, bistro and post office in Stanwick
South Wales Evening Post: Gower Brewery wins national title at Countryside Alliance Awards
Coastal Scene: Orford: General Store is crowned Village Shop and Post Office of the Year by the Countryside Alliance

Stanwick's inspired social hub

Thursday, 14 March 2013

ITV Central paid a visit to the Shop @Stanwick in Northamptonshire, Midlands Countryside Alliance Awards Champions and long-term friends of the Awards. The team took over the derelict village school and breathed new life into it, creating an extensive village shop/ Post Office and Bistro while also saving the beautiful old school building. The Bistro is now a popular social hub (booking required) supporting the community whilst giving them somewhere to meet, chat and relax. The team had previously run the Shop@Stanwick next door, but taking over this school was the perfect solution when demand outstripped space in the old shop. Watch the ITV report on the project here - it is an inspiringly "can do" tale of community life.

Regional Champion coverage celebrates rural business

Monday, 11 February 2013

Midweek Herald: Dalwood’s starring role in ‘rural Oscars’
Gloucestershire Echo: Gloucestershire's finest recognised in Countryside Alliance Awards
Digital Journal: Machrihanish Dunes Wins Enterprise Award at Scotland Countryside Alliance Regional Finals
Portsmouth News: Good food from Hampshire
North West Evening Mail: CUMBRIAN FIRMS TRIUMPH AT ‘RURAL OSCARS’
Yorkshire Post: Honoured: Dales pub that refused to die
NE Business: Meat scandal benefits Blagdon Farm Shop as sales rise
Harborough Mail: Farm shop on a roll as it scoops a Rural Oscar
Rye & Battle Observer: Triumph for shop in Countryside awards
Bucks Herald: Rearing award winning beef is a great way to avoid industry horseplay
Northumberland Gazette: Quality butcher rewarded
Clitheroe Advertiser: AWARD: Gisburn deli runner-up in ‘Rural Oscars’
Inverurie Herald: Salmond congratulates companies on ‘Rural Oscars’
Sheffield Telegraph: Heather’s village shop leads to House of Lords
Gazette Series: Almondsbury Community Shop best village store in the Midlands
East Anglian Daily Times: Orford: Village store is crowned the best in the East of England
West Sussex County Times: Kirdford shop picks up another top award
Campbeltown Courier: The Village at Machrihanish wins rural ‘Oscar’
Northamptonshire Chronicle: Northamptonshire village shop receives rural award
Ellon Times: Salmond congratulates companies on ‘Rural Oscars’
STV: Aberdeen butchers say business booming in wake of horsemeat scandal
BDaily: Local champion proves farm shops are best
Scotland Food and Drink: Hopetoun Makes Lasting Impression on Countryside Alliance Judges
Craven Herald & Pioneer: Crumbling barn near Settle is transformed into The Courtyard retail centre
Ellon Times: Formartine’s picks up award
West Highland Free Press: Applecross shop lands award at Countryside Alliance bash
Cambrian News: Butcher is a cut above after scooping award
Look Local: Flask End wins a Rural Oscar!
Denbighshire Free Press: Oscar award for popular Denbighshire village shop
In-Cumbria: Hawkshead Relish firm tastes success with food award

Regional finalist coverage starts to roll in....

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Melton Times: Community-spirited couple in running for ‘rural Oscar’
Teesdale Mercury: BUTCHER JOE ENJOYS WORK SO MUCH, HE’S NEVER HAD HOLIDAY
South Wales Guardian: On rural awards shortlists A 40-YEAR-OLD man who
Darlington & Stockton Times: Teesdale trio shortlisted for awards
Morpeth Herald: Businesses on ‘Oscars’ shortlist
Harborough Mail: Shop nominated for a ‘rural oscar’
Gazette & Herald: A first class achievement at Malmesbury
Stamford Mercury: Businesses in line for ‘Rural Oscars’
Bucks Herald: Customer approval hands two firms ‘rural Oscars’ nod
Northumberland Gazette: Butcher and byre up for rural Oscars
The Gazette: Almondsbury community shop tipped for rural Oscar
Market Rasen Mail: Cheesemakers’ delicious creations are in line for ‘best local food’ award
In-Cumbria: FIRM RELISHING ITS EASTERN PROMISE
Lakings of Louth up for top food award at 2012 Countryside Alliance Awards
Droitwich Advertiser: Local producers shortlisted for 'Rural Oscars'
North West Mail: HAWKSHEAD FIRM SHORTLISTED FOR RURAL OSCARS
Kent Online: Three Canterbury and Ashford businesses to vye for Rural Oscars
Berwick Advertiser: Berwick Garden Centre is region finalist in ‘Rural Oscars

Herriot Country Tourism Group set to honour Yorkshire butchers great and small

Friday, 26 October 2012

The Countryside Alliance is delighted to announce that the Herriot Country Tourism Group has joined the judging panel to help judge the butcher category in its annual awards.

Countryside Alliance Awards

COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE

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