Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards

Tayside Bobby Wins National Rural Hero Award

A Tayside policeman, who has helped hundreds of youngsters gain confidence through learning the sport of angling, has won the prestigious Rural Hero Award at the Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards. Rural businesses from throughout Scotland were also presented with SCA Awards for excellence in a ceremony at the Scottish Parliament yesterday evening (Wednesday, 26 January).

The SCA Rural Hero Award, recognising outstanding personal contributions to country life and communities, went to Blairgowrie PC Grev Humphrey. In his spare time, PC Humphrey drives the activities of Angling for Youth Development (AFYD), a charity which has introduced young people of all backgrounds and abilities to the sport through expert instruction in game, course and sea fishing.

Finalists from the Borders to Aberdeenshire and the Highlands and Islands also won SCA awards for producing local food, running village shops and post offices, rural enterprises, traditional businesses and promotion of bio-diversity through country sports.

The winners, highly commended, and finalists are:

SCA BEST LOCAL FOOD AWARD

Winner: Food from Argyll, Campbeltown, Argyll
www.foodfromargyll.com
“For taking local food to new audiences including music-festival-goers and rugby fans.”

Highly Commended: Connage Highland Dairy, Ardersier, Invernesshire
“For creating wonderful cheeses which have safe-guarded the dairy farm.”
www.connage.co.uk

Finalist: Ardross Farm, Elie, Fife
www.ardrossfarm.co.uk

Finalist: Summer Isles Foods, Achiltibuie, Ross-shire
www.summerislesfoods.com

SCA BEST VILLAGE SHOP / POST OFFICE AWARD

Winner: Bridge of Cally Post Office, Bridge of Cally, Perthshire
“The loyalty of their customers says it all.”

Finalist: Mither Tongue, Keith, Aberdeenshire
www.mithertongue.co.uk

Finalist: Scottish Deli / Menzies of Dunkeld, Dunkeld, Perthshire
www.scottish-deli.com

Finalist: Ravenstone Deli, Whithorn

SCA BEST RURAL ENTERPRISE AWARD

Winner: Badenoch and Strathspey Community Transport Company, Aviemore, Inverness-shire
“A rural enterprise that really helps rural people.”
www.ct4u.co.uk

Highly Commended: Armadilla, Rosewell, Midlothian
“An innovative product with real rural tourism potential.”
www.armadilla.co.uk

Finalist: Craigies Farm, Deli and Café, Edinburgh
www.craigies.co.uk

Finalist: MacBeths, Forres, Morayshire
www.macbeths.com

SCA BEST TRADITIONAL BUSINESS AWARD
Winner: Mitchells, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
“Service to customers is key.”
www.mitchells-scotland.com

Highly Commended: R Macleod & Son, Tain, Ross-shire
“For dedication to shooting sports and the trade.”
www.rmacleod.co.uk

Finalist: JC Douglas, St Boswells, Roxburghshire
www.jcdouglasqualitybutcher.co.uk

Finalist: Winston Churchill Venison, Dunoon, Argyll
www.winstonchurchillvenison.com

SCA BIODIVERSITY THROUGH COUNTRYSPORTS AWARD

Winner: Philiphaugh Estate, Selkirk, Selkirkshire
“Gamekeeper led walks, a visitor centre and an educational website.”
www.salmonviewingcentre.com

Finalist: Alvie & Dalraddy Estates, Kingussie, Invernesshire
www.alvie-estate.co.uk

SCA RURAL HERO AWARD

PC Grev Humphrey
“Gets youngsters off the streets and hooked on fishing.”
www.afyd.co.uk

The awards were presented by Angus MSP Andrew Welsh, the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee Convener. Mr Welsh said: “These awards recognise the enthusiasm, hard work and innovation of people in businesses and organisations which are so vital to rural Scotland’s well being and quality of life.”

Ross Montague, director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance, said: “The shortlisting and then judging of finalists was extremely difficult but that is a good sign that Scotland’s countryside has a range of thriving and imaginative businesses, created by hard working people.

“The SCA Rural Hero Award this year attracted nominations ranging from district nurses and gamekeepers to the staff of a local radio station and, though only the winner is made public, these people are superb examples of the energetic community spirit to be found across Scotland’s countryside.”

The winners of the SCA Best Rural Enterprise Award, Best Traditional Business Award, Best Village Shop / Post Office Award and Best Local Food Awards will now go on to represent Scotland against regional winners from England and Wales in a GB wide Countryside Alliance competition. The winners of which will be announced at a special ceremony in the House of Lords at the end of March.

SCA Awards 2010

Launched at Royal Highlands Show!

The Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards were launched at this year's Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, and they prove how keen we are to have the attributes of rural Scotland recognised.

We are giving individuals and businesses working in Scotland's countryside the opportunity to prove they are the best in the UK. Their contributions to the economy, raising standards, and to their communities, will be rewarded by the SCA Awards which have a number of categories.

The popular annual awards are in their third year and the winners are announced at the Scottish Parliament, before going on to represent Scotland on a UK level. There they will be up against individuals and businesses that have been deemed the best in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the eventual UK winners named at a ceremony in the House of Commons, in January 2011.

Nominations are made by the public and a select panel of judges. The focus is on recognising contributions to development of local food, retailing, enterprise and traditional business operations. There is also a broader Rural Hero category, for those making unique personal contributions to the quality of countryside life, and a Bio-diversity Through Country Sports award, celebrating the United Nations' International Year of Bio-diversity.

Ross Montague, Director of the SCA, said: "The SCA Awards have become immensely popular and we are launching them earlier this year to cope with demand. We are excited to be doing so at the Royal Highland Show which is an excellent showcase for the best of Scotland's countryside.

"We are looking for the best that rural Scotland has to offer, especially as the winners will be representing the nation on a UK level. The SCA is on the country's side in more ways than one, and these awards underline our commitment to highlighting the successes of Scottish rural businesses and communities."

For the past two years the Scottish winner of the Best Rural Enterprise has gone on to claim the UK version as well. The current holders are Machars Movies, the most southerly cinema in Scotland, situated on the isolated Isle of Whithorn in Dumfries.

Mike Marshall, who is the Chair for Machars Movies which beat other nominations from all over the UK, said: “It was engrossing seeing the immense range of impressive entries for the awards. These really were the best companies and organisations rural UK has to offer. We were absolutely elated at winning the award which is a tribute to the persistence and endurance of the Machars community in making this project work. It is their support which is so important to its success.

"Being part of the SCA Awards was a wonderful experience for us, and we were grateful to be nominated. We thoroughly recommend that people in rural communities get nominating now."

The categories are:

Local Food Award –Those promoting the best of local produce, supporting our producers and paving the way to a bright future for local produce are honoured here.

Village Shop/ Post Office Award – The personalities behind the counter form the heart of the category. We want to hear about the characters who serve their community day in, day out and never ask for praise.

Enterprise Award – New businesses, expanded and diversified businesses, complete one-offs – we want to hear about the most enterprising outfits in the countryside.

Traditional Business Award – Keeping traditional skills alive in a thoroughly modern setting, anyone maintaining or enhancing a long-practised rural skill is eligible here.

Rural Hero Award – A wide open category to spark the imagination. Lollipop ladies, the local bobby, a river keeper, a teacher, the game dealer, or a local journalist are just a few examples of who might be nominated.

Bio-diversity Through Country Sports - Recognises the work of individuals or businesses that further bio-diversity as part of their land management for country sports.

For more information, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The 2009 winners were:

Best Rural Enterprise Machars Movies, Isle of Whithorn - also one of our UK Winners.

Rural Hero The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland

Best Local Food The Blackface Meat Company, Dumfries

Best Village Shop/Post Office Glenbarr Stores, Tarbert

Best Traditional Business Amayzing Saddlery, Renfrewshire

Daily Telegraph commentator Andrew Pierce has a waspish take on the new Countryside Alliance political awards. Read It's Prezza vs 'Biker' Soames for the new rural prize to find out who Mr Pierce believes won't be nominated.

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