Yorkshire sweeps Countryside Alliance Awards

There was a strong showing from Yorkshire in the finals of the 2013 Countryside Alliance Awards as businesses from the county took the lion’s share of national awards on offer.

Spuds and Berries farm shop, near Selby, won the Start-up Award, pipping Carmarthenshire chocolate bar producer nomnom to the prize.

South Yorkshire ice cream maker Our Cow Molly took the Local Food Award ahead of Co Antrim goat meat and games specialist Broughgammon Farm, which was highly commended in the category.

The Butcher Award went to H Weathergate & Sons of Pateley Bridge near Harrogate, just ahead of the highly commended Blagdon Farm Shop. The owner of West Yorkshire’s Highgate Farm Shop, May Stocks, was given a special Rural Hero Award for her efforts in the local community.

Chalke Valley Stores in Wiltshire won the Village Shop / Post Office category, with Herefordshire’s Ye Olde Steppes highly commended.

Meanwhile Peter and Christine Gott, of Sillfield Farm in the Lake District, received a special Clarissa Dickson Wright Award. The trophy, created in memory of the recently-deceased TV cook, recognises excellence in animal husbandry.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson MP presented all of these self-styled “Rural Oscars” at a ceremony held at the Houses of Parliament on April 30.

All of the nominees for these national awards were Regional Champions in their respective categories.
For a full list of winners visitwww.countrysideallianceawards.org.uk