Scotland: National Rural Network
Connecting Rural Scotland - Promoting Rural Growth

The Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards 2010 are looking for rural Scotland's best enterprises, traditional businesses, retailers and local food producers. The Awards, now in their third year, launched at last week's Royal Highland Show.

This year's Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards will also feature a special prize for Biodiversity through Country Sports, to celebrate the United Nation's International Year of Biodiversity, and the Rural Hero Award which recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual to countryside life.

Ross Montague, Director of the SCA, said, "The SCA Awards have become immensely popular and we are launching them earlier this year to cope with demand. We are excited to be doing so at the Royal Highland Show which is an excellent showcase for the best of Scotland's countryside.

"We are looking for the best that rural Scotland has to offer, especially as the winners will be representing the nation on a UK level. The SCA is on the country's side in more ways than one, and these awards underline our commitment to highlighting the successes of Scottish rural businesses and communities."

Winners of the SCA Awards go on to compete at the UK Countryside Alliance Awards. Last year saw Machars Movies, Scotland's most southerly cinema, take away the Best Rural Enterprise at the UK Awards.

Mike Marshall, who is the Chair for Machars Movies said, "It was engrossing seeing the immense range of impressive entries for the awards. These really were the best companies and organisations rural UK has to offer. We were absolutely elated at winning the award which is a tribute to the persistence and endurance of the Machars community in making this project work. It is their support which is so important to its success.

"Being part of the SCA Awards was a wonderful experience for us, and we were grateful to be nominated. We thoroughly recommend that people in rural communities get nominating now."

More about the awards

The categories are:

• Local Food Award -Those promoting the best of local produce, supporting our producers and paving the way to a bright future for local produce are honoured here.
• Village Shop/ Post Office Award - The personalities behind the counter form the heart of the category. We want to hear about the characters who serve their community day in, day out and never ask for praise.
• Enterprise Award - New businesses, expanded and diversified businesses, complete one-offs - we want to hear about the most enterprising outfits in the countryside.
• Traditional Business Award - Keeping traditional skills alive in a thoroughly modern setting, anyone maintaining or enhancing a long-practised rural skill is eligible here.
• Rural Hero Award - A wide open category to spark the imagination. Lollipop ladies, the local bobby, a river keeper, a teacher, the game dealer, or a local journalist are just a few examples of who might be nominated.
• Bio-diversity Through Country Sports - Recognises the work of individuals or businesses that further bio-diversity as part of their land management for country sports.

For more information, please contact info@scottishcountrysidealliance.org or visit the Scottish Countryside Alliance website.