Editing Countryside Alliance (section)

== The Countryside Alliance Awards ==
The Countryside Alliance Awards is a national awards scheme set up in 2006, also known as The Rural Oscars.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Countryside Alliance Awards open for nominations|url=https://www.southwestfarmer.co.uk/news/17898724.countryside-alliance-awards-open-nominations/|access-date=2021-03-09|website=South West Farmer|date=15 September 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-06-19|title=All the winners from the 2019 Countryside Alliance Awards|url=https://www.sporting-rifle.com/news/all-the-winners-from-the-2019-countryside-alliance-awards/|access-date=2021-03-09|website=Sporting Rifle magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> Its aim is to "award rural businesses that go the extra mile, who support their local economy and are unsung heroes in every community".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryside-alliance.org/Rural-Awards/caawards|title=The 15th Annual Countryside Alliance Awards|website=Countryside Alliance|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2019/06/20/countryside-perseveres-uncertainty-political-neglect/|title=The countryside perseveres through uncertainty and political neglect|date=20 June 2019|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=16 December 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> The awards are led by public nominations, covering seven categories: village shop/[[Post Office Limited|post office]], local food and drink, rural enterprise, pub, butcher, game and the [[Clarissa Dickson Wright]] award, which was instituted in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.agriland.co.uk/farming-news/meet-the-regional-finalists-in-the-2019-countryside-alliance-awards/|title=Meet the regional finalists in the 2019 Countryside Alliance Awards|last=Martin|first=Rachel|date=15 January 2019|website=Agriland.co.uk|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref>

In 2019, the Countryside Alliance stated that it had received over 17,000 nominations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/17403147.llangurig-post-office-in-the-running-for-a-rural-oscar/|title=Llangurig post office in the running for a 'Rural Oscar'|website=County Times|date=February 2019 |language=en|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref> The awards ceremony is usually held in the month of June at the [[House of Lords]]. Previous judges have included [[Michael Gove]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/award-winning-honiton-butcher-looks-to-add-rural-oscar-to-his-collection-1-5875250|title=Award-winning Honiton butcher looks to add 'rural Oscar' to his collection|last=Catling|first=Lydia|website=Midweek Herald|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019|archive-date=16 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216170325/https://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/award-winning-honiton-butcher-looks-to-add-rural-oscar-to-his-collection-1-5875250|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Andrea Leadsom]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.farminguk.com/news/andrea-leadsom-hands-out-2016-rural-oscars-at-a-parliamentary-reception_45982.html|title=Andrea Leadsom hands out 2016 'Rural Oscars' at a Parliamentary reception|website=www.farminguk.com|language=en-gb|access-date=16 December 2019}}</ref> [[Liz Truss]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/harveys-brewery-crowned-champion-at-rural-oscars-1-7356473|title=Harveys Brewery crowned champion at 'Rural Oscars'|website=www.sussexexpress.co.uk|language=en|access-date=16 December 2019|archive-date=16 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216163628/https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/harveys-brewery-crowned-champion-at-rural-oscars-1-7356473|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[William Sitwell]] and the late [[Clarissa Dickson Wright]].