If anybody ever needed evidence of the entrepreneurial
nature of country people, they should have been in London today
(Wednesday, 18 March) for the presentation of the Countryside
Alliance Awards. Tim Relf, one of the national judges in this
prestigious competition, profiles the winners.
Hard work, initiative and business acumen - just three of the
accolades given to the winners of the
Countryside
Alliance Awards this week.
Formerly known as the Best Rural Retailer competition, this
contest attracted well over 2500 nominations from across England,
Wales and Scotland - a figure that's grown every year since they
were launched in 2005.
Four categories - Best Rural Enterprise, Best Local Food
Retailer, Best Traditional Business and Best Village Shop/Post
Office - were contested, along with a new award this year, Rural
Hero.
The initiative, supported by
Farmers Weekly and the
Daily Telegraph, aims to
support and promote rural communities, while also demonstrating it
isn't all doom and gloom in the countryside, say the
organisers.
"While times undoubtedly are tough for some, there should be
recognition of the spirit and the efforts of people to keep their
communities alive," says
Countryside
Alliance chief executive Simon Hart.
Wednesday's event saw regional finalists travel to London from
across the country for the announcement of the national
winners.
It was a well-deserved day off (actually, many of them had put
in a day's work before they left or when they got home), a chance
to meet other successful business people and enjoy a trip to the
capital with family and friends.
Many took the chance to take in a few sights, plus rub shoulders
with MPs and the assorted VIPs attending this The House of Lords
event.
The Winners