Rural Scotland’s unsung heroes sought for milestone awards 

New £10,000 Rural Champion Award

Nominations are open for the 10th annual Helping It Happen Awards, organised by Scottish Land & Estates, with a new £10,000 Rural Champion Award, the largest prize in the scheme’s history, added to mark the anniversary.

The Rural Champion Award is funded by The Royal Countryside Fund, which has worked to support rural communities across the UK since 2010. It will go to an individual judged to have made a lasting impact on their local community.

Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land & Estates, said: “The new Rural Champion Award, backed by a £10,000 prize courtesy of The Royal Countryside Fund, gives us a powerful opportunity to recognise the individuals who go above and beyond for their communities. These are the people making a real difference every day, often without recognition.”

The awards are open to any farm, estate, rural business, charity or community group, with no requirement for entrants to be members of Scottish Land & Estates. Headline sponsor NatureScot continues its backing, with 13 categories covering conservation, farming innovation, tourism, rural business, education and the environment, alongside the coveted Outstanding Contribution to Rural Scotland title.

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Launch at previous finalist venue

The launch took place at Fenton Barns Nursery near North Berwick, which was a finalist in 2019. Owner Nicola Simpson said, “We’re incredibly proud to help launch the 10th Helping It Happen Awards. Being recognised as a finalist previously gave our whole team a real lift and helped showcase what we do here.”

Ellie Burnage, head of external affairs at The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “We know that change can happen because we see it every day. It starts with real people with local knowledge, passed down through generations.”

Nominations close later this summer, with winners to be announced at a gala ceremony this autumn. Details and entry forms are available through the Scottish Land & Estates website.