Blow your own trumpet

11/03/2016 @ 08:20

Last year a Welsh beach café was named a winner – this year could it be you?

Countryside-based enterprises from Wales are being urged to blow their own trumpets and enter the Rural Business Awards.

It’s that time of the year again, when businesses from the great Welsh countryside are being urged to send in their entries for the 2016 Rural Business Awards, now in their second year.

The awards are the brainchild of businesswomen Anna Price and Jemma Clifford, who are passionate about showcasing the very best in rural enterprise and set up the UK’s first awards scheme specifically for the sector.

The Rural Business Awards judges were overwhelmed with the number and variety of entries sent in last year, and had great pleasure in holding a glittering prize-giving ceremony at Leicestershire’s Stapleford Park in October.

One of the winners was Jonathan Williams, founder of the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company, named “Best Rural Food & Drink Product or Brand”.

Judges were impressed with Jonathan’s passion and drive in starting with a simple food stall and growing his business into a well-known local brand including Café Môr – based at Freshwater West – and a rapidly expanding retail arm selling in high end delicatessens, which really celebrated the area’s food heritage.

Jonathan said winning the award had been “just fantastic” and the exposure it generated had helped “open doors to new business opportunities”. He said: “It was just fantastic to win especially with such a high calibre of finalists shortlisted, it helped open doors to new business and also really helps generate a great feel good factor after such a hard year working!”

Urging other local businesses to enter this year’s Rural Business Awards, Jonathan said: “It is great to be judged from an outside perspective and it is an opportunity not to be missed!”

This year’s awards have been expanded to 13 categories, with new sections for media-based businesses and social enterprise, as well as rural tourism. Other categories include Best Rural Apparel Business and Outstanding Rural Diversification Project.

Rural Business Awards co-founder Jemma Clifford said: “We are so proud to be running our Rural Business Awards for the second year running, as they were such a triumph last year. Anna and I set up the awards to celebrate the wonderful businesses which are based in the countryside. Our new partnership with the CLA will help us to take the awards from strength to strength.

“We’ve looked hard at our list of categories this year and come up with some great new awards, which we hope will inspire as wide a variety of entries as possible. It couldn’t be easier to enter, and we want to hear from as many businesses from as many different locations as possible. So what’s stopping you? Get on our website now and find out more!”

CLA Director General Helen Woolley said: “We are delighted to partner with the Rural Business Awards to showcase the talent, innovation and tenacity within the rural economy – from foods and manufacturing, to leisure and land management.

“The range of categories for the Rural Business Awards 2016 highlights the breadth of the rural economy. In England alone rural businesses contribute £229 billion in gross value added to the national economy.

“It is time for greater recognition that diverse and successful businesses are located at the heart of rural communities, and we encourage CLA Members across the country to enter the awards and use this opportunity to celebrate their achievements.”

The awards ceremony will take place in October 2016, the application window is now open and entries can be made up to 30^th June 2016.

To enter, visit our website: www.ruralbusinessawards.co.uk where you will find details about each category. There is a simple form to fill in and an entry fee of just £50. If you would like help with entering or advice on which category to choose, call us 07908 722 497 or email office@ruralbusinessawards.co.uk

Find out more via social media on: T: @RuralRBAs F: The Rural Business Awards Keep up with the Twitter chatter and use #RBAs.

The full category list is:

1. Best Rural Start-up

2. Outstanding Rural Diversification Project

3. Best Rural Apparel Business

4. Rural Innovation of the year

5. Best Rural Manufacturing Business

6. Best Rural Professional Services Business

7. Best Rural Creative or media based business

8. Social enterprise / community project of the year

9. Best Rural Tourism Business

10. Best Rural Sporting Business