The Rural Community Business Awards is a major highlight in Plunkett’s annual calendar. Get the lowdown and reaction from the 2025 event, which celebrated our members’ tenacity and commitment to making a difference in their communities.
Rural community businesses’ extraordinary impact was honoured during a jubilant awards event, hosted by Plunkett at the start of July.
Around 100 people gathered in the refined surroundings of the Royal Society of Chemistry in London, including representatives from community business finalists, sponsors, exhibitors, partners, funders, and Plunkett staff.
Each of the 27 finalists appeared in short videos on the big screen, giving a glimpse of their local situations, before winners and runners-up were announced, and stylish wooden plaques and framed certificates presented. Find out more about all the winners here.
In welcoming everyone to Plunkett’s 13th awards, Chief Executive James Alcock (right) said, “We’re delighted to have you with us to celebrate the very best of what community businesses deliver. It takes a huge amount to support individual people, the places they live, their local economies and the wider environment. These areas of impact guide the spirit of these awards.
“We are here today to honour the extraordinary actions happening in ordinary places through our community business members.”
James added, “At Plunkett we’ve been progressing as an organisation which has been primarily about saving businesses to supporting them to grow their impact, and representing them through policy and membership. It’s an important way of ensuring community businesses can exist in a thriving trading environment and also to ensure their long-term resilience.”
The 2025 Awards headline sponsor was Lands Improvement, a strategic land master developer, and its Planning Director, Kathryn Turner, was amongst the judging panel who selected the winners.
“Reading the nominations, I was struck by the meaningful impact each of you is making. You’re creating new communities, transforming villages and building places of belonging. The connection, support and development that you bring to the places you live, in my view, is nothing short of extraordinary.”
“You have huge amounts of tenacity, endless energy, and a commitment to believing in something bigger than yourselves to deliver it – and we are celebrating all of these things tonight. It’s a testament to what is possible when community comes together.”
Kathryn Turner, Planning Director, Lands Improvement (right)
“We couldn’t have done it without the support of Plunkett”
Among the winning community businesses were Bishop Wilton Community Shop & Café in Yorkshire, which won the Keeping it Local award. It uses local businesses, products and suppliers wherever possible, including supporting a mother in the village to sell her own speciality breads in the shop, and she has now expanded her business.
On receiving their award, Ingrid Haywood from Bishop Wilton (pictured right), said, “It’s been a long five years but we couldn’t have done it without the support of Plunkett from the very first day when we came up with the idea. We appreciate the commitment of all of the volunteers at the shop – we’ve not had a closed day which is incredible.”
“Plunkett has helped me through lots of difficult times”
Celia Collett (pictured right) picked up the prestigious Community Contribution Award, chosen by a public vote. Celia is a driving force behind the success of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Community Village Stores in Oxfordshire.
As she collected the award, Celia said with a broad grin: “I am speechless and for me that’s quite unusual! The community shop has been running for 15 years and the team at Plunkett has been with us every step of the way. I’m quite emotional because they’ve helped me through lots of difficult times, and I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Addressing others from community businesses, Celia said, “It has been an amazing privilege to be in the room with all of you. You do so much for your communities, because we love them, don’t we!”
Team spirit
The final award of the evening was in memory of Plunkett staff member Nina Foskett who very suddenly passed away at the end of 2024.
Gemma Sills, Plunkett’s Head of Partnerships, said, “We knew as a team that we wanted to do something that remembered Nina and her infectious enthusiasm, sense of fun and team spirit, and so we created the Nina Foskett Award for Team Spirit.”
James Alcock added, “Nina really liked a gathering, even more so if it had a gin or two, so this would have been the perfect event for Nina. This award aims to capture the spirit Nina had – she was a bubbly and warm colleague.”
The gin and tonic were generously provided by The Sky Wave Distilling Company, with drinks served before the awards ceremony. Andy Parsons, Master Distiller and co-founder of Sky Wave, was delighted to be involved, saying: “In a world which is full of selfishness and self-serving interest, everything today has been absolutely amazing – it’s been humbling and uplifting.”
Semley Village Stores were winners of the inaugural Nina Foskett Award for Team Spirit. Rosie Catherwood from the community shop, said, “We’re really proud and very honoured to win this award, because we know how much Nina meant to Plunkett. We knew she was full of team spirit, and we hope she would have enjoyed what we do, and the fun we have as a team. Thank you Plunkett for all you do for all of us.”
Thank you
We couldn’t have held this celebration without the support of our headline sponsor, Lands Improvement, and the category sponsors and exhibitors: Bestway Wholesale, Co-op, Suma, Utility Aid, Wise Investment, David Cadwallader, Good Finance and WRS Insurance.
Look out for more Awards’ content, including winners’ videos, on our socials over the summer.
Andy Parsons from Sky Wave at the podium, alongside Plunkett’s Gemma Sills and James Alcock.
Plunkett’s Lucia Jesus serving G&T to our community business finalists at the event.
Join the movement: Become a member today
This year we really enjoyed celebrating the achievements of our members! So why not join over 700 individuals, community businesses and corporate partners and become a member of Plunkett UK? Your membership, which for individuals’ costs just £22.50 per year, will support our ambition to grow the community ownership movement across the nation.
