Awards aim to recognise stars of rural economy

CLA - Country Land and Business Association Limited logo

The hunt is on to find the best rural businesses in Lancashire.

The CLA, which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses, has announced a new partnership with the Rural Business Awards 2016.

The awards are aimed at recognising and rewarding the most innovative and successful businesses based in the countryside.

Awards will be made across 13 categories including: Best Rural Start-up; Outstanding Rural Diversification Project; Social enterprise/community project of the year; Best Rural Tourism Business; Rural Employer of the Year and Rural Entrepreneur of the Year.

CLA North Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn said: “Rural businesses are too often viewed as the Cinderella of the UK economy when the reality is they manage our landscapes, provide homes, build communities and create jobs. They contribute vastly to the economic and social wellbeing of the nation as a whole.

“In Lancashire we have market-leaders in the food and farming, leisure and forestry sectors, to name but a few. These awards are a great opportunity for the rural economy to showcase some of its brightest stars.”

Rural Business Award co-founder Jemma Clifford said: “We are so proud to be running our Rural Business Awards for the second year. Our new partnership with the CLA will help us to take the awards from strength to strength.”

The application window is now open and entries can be made up to 30 June. Entries can be made online at: http://www.ruralbusinessawards.co.uk/ An awards ceremony will take place in October.