BUSINESSES are being asked to enter annual awards celebrating rural success.

The Amazon-backed Rural Business Awards are the only UK-wide awards dedicated to showcasing the success of rural businesses.

The initiative has announced a new format for this year and has extended the deadline for entries for businesses in East Sussex.

Due to the impact of the health crisis, the awards will be entirely judged and run online and businesses from the South East will skip the regional finals to compete in a UK-wide award.

Entries close on Friday, October 16 with the shortlist announced a month later on Monday, November 16.

The winners will be announced at the National Final Awards Ceremony on Thursday February 25, 2021.

A spokeswoman for the initiative said: “The Rural Business Awards are organised by rural business for rural business, to celebrate the achievements of rural companies and to develop a strong network for rural business owners.

“To be eligible for a Rural Business Award you must either be based in a rural location, serve a primarily rural client base, or embrace a rural theme.

We define a rural location as anywhere with a population of less than 10,000 people.

We welcome entries from businesses of all shapes, sizes and ages. Our judging process works so that businesses are judged on their own merits, and a business of just one or two people is just as likely to win as one with lots of employees.

“At last year’s event, Catsfield Tree Farm from Catsfield prevailed in the Triumph Over Adversity category at the awards and The Great Out-Tours from Heathfield triumphed in the Best Rural Professional Services Business category.

There are 13 categories for businesses to enter and winners are decided by an independent panel of judges drawn from the rural business sector, rural public sector agencies and rural charitable organisations.

The categories are:

Best Rural Start Up Business

Best Rural Diversification Project

Best Rural Retail Business

Best Rural Professional Services Business

Best Rural Creative or Artisan Business

Best Rural Social Enterprise, Charity or Community Project

Best Rural Tourism Business

Best Rural Recreational or Outdoor Pursuits Business

Best Rural Food Business

Best Rural Drink Business

Best Rural Innovation

The Triumph Over Adversity Award

The Sustainability and Environmental Impact Award

Doug Gurr, UK Country Manager for Amazon said: “This year has been challenging for many rural businesses and it’s more important than ever to show our support for them.

“The Rural Business Awards are a great opportunity to highlight the outstanding contribution of rural businesses and hear their stories, from how they’ve supported their communities this year to their exciting plans for the future.”

Director and co-founder of The Rural Business Awards, Anna Price, added: “We stand with all rural businesses who have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“However, there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of the rural business sector and we are excited to shine a light once again on the best rural businesses in the UK.”

Rural businesses can submit their award entries until Friday October 16 at: https://www.ruralbusinessawards.co.uk/enter-2020/.

Last year, Catsfield Christmas Tree Farm, a grower and retailer in Sussex, picked up an honour in the national final of the Rural Business Awards.

It won the Triumph Over Adversity Award and was runner-up in the Rural Young Person Of The Year category.

Owner Clive Collins has been a member of the British Christmas Tree Growers’ Association since 1994.