2008 sees the launch of the first annual Countryside Alliance Awards.

Simply put, the Awards are about people. They seek to honour the hard work, skills, produce, traditions and enterprise of rural Britain through the people who make it tick. The Countryside Alliance campaigns for vibrant communities and these awards are the backbone of that campaign.

The awards grow out of the Best Rural Retailer competition that ran from 2005 - 2007 and celebrated thousands of businesses and characters across the UK. We will be open to nominations between September and late October 2008. This year we also welcome back Northern Ireland, and also extend a warm welcome to the Republic of Ireland, taking part for the first time. Click here for more about this year's categories.