Nominations open for Scotland’s ‘Helping it Happen’ Rural awards

People across Scotland are being urged to highlight the work done by local estates and land-based businesses to help their surrounding communities flourish, as nominations for the Helping It Happen Awards 2018 get underway.   

Following a successful inaugural year in 2017, Scottish Land & Estates has declared the Helping It Happen Awards 2018 open for business. The national awards, which aim to recognise the role of estates, farms and rural businesses in enabling and supporting success in rural areas, will once again be sponsored by The MacRobert Trust, with entries being considered in the following nine categories:

• Rural Business Award

• Tourism Award

• Rural Housing Award

• Education Award

• MacRobert Trust Award for Working with Communities

• Conservation Award

• The Iver Salvesen Green Business Award

• Innovation in Farming Award

• Enhancing Our Environment Award

To celebrate the launch of the 2018 awards, David Johnstone, Chairman of Scottish Land & Estates said: “We want to highlight and celebrate the significant positive contribution land-based businesses make in rural areas throughout Scotland – in particular, the ways in which they add value to the local economy and the environment for the wider benefit of the community.  We were incredibly pleased with the success of the augural awards in 2017 and are building on this in 2018 through the creation of additional categories to celebrate innovation in farming and environmental enhancement.

We urge people up and down the country to submit their entries for this year’s awards - the quality of entries last year was exceptional, and we are looking forward to receiving this year’s crop of stories. I am sure the judges will have a tough task in narrowing down the shortlist once entries close in July this year.”

Simon Miller, Luss Estates Chief Executive Officer said: “Our main task is to preserve and enhance the area for future generations. Crucial steps in order to achieve this are to provide economic and employment opportunities and create new family housing. This is at the forefront of what we do, by investing in and developing our own enterprises, and encouraging others to invest in the local area and live here."

Entries for the Helping it Happen Awards 2018 will be reviewed by an independent judging panel with three finalists selected in each category.  The winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony which will take place at The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh on 3 October 2018.

To nominate, people are being asked to share how their local estate, farm or rural business has made a positive contribution to their area.  Entries can be submitted via the Helping It Happen website – www.helpingithappen.co.uk - before the closing date of 13 July 2018.