Time to enter business awards

Rural firms from across Britain are being invited to get their entries in for an awards scheme designed specifically for the countryside sector.

Now in their third year, the Rural Business Awards (RBAs) are the only UK-wide business awards for rural enterprises. They are sponsored by Janine Edwards Wealth Management Ltd, Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management, and operate in partnership with the CLA. The RBAs are split into 13 categories including Best Rural Sporting Business – along with other important aspects of the countryside economy such as Best Rural Diversification Project and Best Rural Manufacturing Business.

At the 2016 awards, the overall Champion of Champions was Landmark Computer Systems, from Sussex, which offers computerised solutions helping its agricultural customers manage their businesses effectively. Other victors included Lowe Maintenance Training from Settle in Yorkshire, which runs forestry courses and was a finalist in our Best Rural Professional Services Business category (which Landmark also won). Gravity Digital, a digital marketing firm from Derbyshire, was the winner for Best Rural Creative Business.
The RBAs are the brainchild of Leicestershire businesswomen Anna Price and Jemma Clifford, who wanted to showcase the wealth of entrepreneurial talent in rural areas of Britain – a sector of the economy they felt was all-too-often overlooked in favour of large city-based firms.
Awards co-founder Anna Price said: “We are so proud to be holding our Rural Business Awards for the third year running. Over the past two years, our judges have read about an extraordinarily diverse range of rural businesses in this category and in all the others, and we have been truly humbled by the amazing work that is being done all over the Great British countryside.

“As for this year’s awards, we urge as many rural businesses to get their entries to us as soon as possible. Entry is so quick and simple that all businesses need to do is tell us what they do best, and we’ll do the rest!”

So just what is a rural business? The CLA defines rural businesses as fitting into three broad categories: land-based businesses; land-related businesses and other businesses located in rural areas. The category list aims to draw together businesses from across these areas to acknowledge the breadth and depth of opportunity presented by the Great British countryside, as well as to celebrate the achievements of our rural businesses.

Backed by a range of high profile MPs, the awards are organised by rural businesses for rural businesses and judged by people who understand the rural sector, which is growing rapidly and employs in excess of 3.4million people in more than 600,000 businesses across the UK.

CLA Director General Helen Woolley said: “The CLA is delighted to once again partner with the Rural Business Awards to highlight the vital contribution that rural businesses make to the countryside and to the wider economy.

“Our ambition for rural areas is no different to the rest of the economy. We want to see investment unlocked, to achieve greater productivity driving growth, the creation of jobs and an improved standard of living across our rural communities. By working with the Rural Business Awards I am confident successful and innovative rural businesses will have the chance to shine.”

This year’s glittering awards ceremony will be held at Denbies Wine Estates in Surrey on October 5. The application window is now open and entries can be made up to June 30, 2017.

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. You can also nominate another business who you think deserves to be recognised in our awards. 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.

Our full category list is:

1. Best Rural Start-up 
2. Outstanding Rural Diversification Project
3. Best Rural Clothing or Accessories 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
11.   Rural Employer of the year
12.   Rural Entrepreneur of the year
13.   Best Food & Drink Business