Countryside Alliance Awards

New to 2008, the Countryside Alliance Awards take their hugely successful Best Rural Retailer competition and enlarge it. The new and improved version, the Countryside Alliance Awards, opened on Monday 1st September 2008. Retailers will still be honoured, but they will be casting the net further this year by honouring individual achievement in our Rural Hero category – open to all. They will also honour those doing the most for rural life on the political stage.

The Awards are nomination led; have your say at www.countrysideallianceawards.co.uk. The categories for the Awards are:

1. Local Food Award
2. Village Shop/ Post Office Award
3. Rural Enterprise Award
4. Daily Telegraph Best Traditional Business Award
5. Rural Hero Award – This Award is new in 2008. Lateral thinking is welcome, and you can nominate anyone within your community who is doing something heroic for the countryside. Examples include a local Bobby, a river keeper, a vet, teacher, game dealer, the landlord at your village pub, local journalist, whipper-in, 'keeper, farmer – anyone is eligible. They are expecting a wide range of nominations in this category – nominees just need passion and commitment to qualify and age is irrelevant.

The Awards will also honour politicians this year in the following categories:

1. The Grassroots Award for community campaigning
2. The Westminster Award for bringing the countryside to Parliament
3. The Rural Vision Award, for the politician with the countryside's future at heart

Please cast your nomination and put your community's heroes on the map. To nominate, or for more information, go to www.countrysideallianceawards.co.uk

Nominations will be accepted until 27th October.

For more information or to request paper nomination forms, email [email protected]