The Awards are at first run at local level across 14 geographical regions. Each has its own judging panel and declares a winner in each of four categories (the Rural Hero and political awards are run at national level only - political winners in two categories will be named at national receptions in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.)

The Scottish Countryside Alliance is partially devolved with its own Chief Executive. The Awards are run as the Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards.

The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are overseen by Countryside Alliance Ireland and its own Chief Executive.

Localised judging is broken down as follows:

Scotland - the judging panel of the Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards is led by Scottish Countryside Alliance Chief Executive Geva Blackett - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The North East of England (Cleveland & Teeside, County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear) - the judging panel is led by Regional Director Richard Dodd, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The North West of England (Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester) - also led by Regional Director Richard Dodd - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Yorkshire - The Yorkshire judging panel is led by Richard Dodd - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The West Midlands (Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Greater Birmingham) - led by Clare Rowson - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The East Midlands (Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire) - led by English National Director Tracy Casstles - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The East of England (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Hertfordshire) - led by Alice Barnard - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The South East of England (Surrey, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex) - led by Michelle Nudds - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The South of England (Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire) - led by Sara Rutherford - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Wessex (Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire) - led by Delly Everard - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The South West of England (Somerset, Devon and Cornwall) - led by Alison Hawes - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Wales - led by Regional Director Rachel Evans - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will be judged by Countryside Alliance Ireland Chief Executive Lyall Plant - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The timeline of events will be as follows:

1st September 2008 – Nominations open

27th October 2008 – Nominations close to the public

November 28th – early January – Regional Judging visits take place

Mid January- late February – Winners receptions in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland declare national winners who then go on to the overall final. A reception has been scheduled to celebrate Welsh winners at the Senedd in Cardiff for Wednesday 14th January.

18th March 2009 – National Winners’ Reception at the Houses of Parliament in London. At this event the overall political awards and the Rural Hero will also be announced.