Do you know a business in Fenland that deserves recognition?

Then give them the opportunity to win a ‘rural Oscar’ by nominating them in this year’s Countryside Alliance Awards.

The awards, now in their twelfth year, recognise hard working rural businessmen and women and have become the definitive award in the rural business industry.

The awards are inviting nominations across four categories – local food and drink, village shop/post office, tourism enterprise and farm enterprise – and the winners will be announced at a Parliamentary reception in March next year.

Nominations will be accepted until early November, and then a list of finalists will be drawn up and judges will visit the winning businesses.

All finalists will be invited to a reception at the House of Lords and a champion will be selected next year.

Jill Grieve, Countryside Alliance awards director, said: “The Rural Oscars have become the gold standard for rural business awards and I look forward to hearing the stories of this year’s nominees. These awards give a voice and a platform to rural businesses and bring them to national prominence, telling positive stories about the countryside.

“We can’t run these awards without the support of communities and their recommendations, so please get involved and tell us who we should be honouring this year.

“Nominations are currently flooding in and we are keen for the achievements of rural businesses in the Fens to be recognised.”

Nominations have already started to come in, with East Cambridgeshire District and Cambridgeshire County Councillor, Anna Bailey, nominating Pymoor-based crisp manufacturers, Corkers Crisps.

She said: “Corkers Crisps, whilst being a national brand, is rooted in its community, literally and metaphorically. In 2010, two local lads decided to see what could be done to add value to a great local product, potatoes, grown by four generations of the same family in the fen soil in Pymoor.

“In adding value to their product, these two local lads rooted a local and caring attitude into their business ethos, employing local people, growing their own talent, and supporting local charities, clubs and community events by giving their products, their time and their own physical effort.”

To nominate, visit www.countrysideallianceawards.org.uk/caa/.