Rural Vision Awards

To reflect Plunkett’s Rural Vision, which was launched last year, we are delighted to be launching the following five new award categories:

• Employment and Training Award, kindly sponsored by The Retail Mutual
• Environment Award, kindly sponsored by Suma Wholefoods
• Re-localisation of produce Award, kindly sponsored by Co-op UK
• Technology Award, kindly sponsored by Adnams Southwold
• Volunteering Award, kindly sponsored by Anthony Collins Solicitors

If you think your local community business has demonstrated best practice in any one of the above categories, we’d love you to share their story with us. We’re wanting to hear about community-owned businesses that have perhaps:

• created employment and training opportunities for young people; offering valuable work experience and helping to build confidence,
• introduced new products or procedures to ensure a greener, more sustainable and environmentally friendly practice across the business,
• put an emphasis on supporting local producers be that food or local craft producers, or services
• utilised technology to help keep their community connected – maybe they hosted entertainment and activities online during lockdowns, or strengthened communication within the community by introducing new technology platforms
• created new volunteering opportunities to help reduce isolation and loneliness or adapted their volunteer force to cope with volunteer shortages during lockdown periods.

These are just a few snippets of how a community-owned business might have gone above and beyond – we’re sure there are many more examples. If you think your community business is deserving of a Plunkett Rural Community Business Award, please submit your nomination by Friday 8th October. Don’t forget to give us as much information as possible to support your nomination – if you have any photos too, we’d love to see them.

The winners of the Rural Vision Awards will each receive a cheque for £250 for their chosen community-owned business.