Winners in the Norfolk Rural Business Awards are cream of the crop

They are among the cream of the crop when it comes to showcasing everything from fresh produce to innovation in the county and their achievements have been celebrated in the Norfolk Rural Business Awards.  

Seventy entries were received and the winners and runners up in nine different categories were unveiled in a ceremony at this year's Royal Norfolk Show on Thursday 26 June. The event was hosted by Emily Norton, a trustee of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA) and a commentator on farming and sustainability. 

This is the second year of the awards which are organised by Norfolk County Council in partnership with the RNAA and held at the Norfolk Showground. 

The winners and runners up were as follows: 

• Best Rural Community Initiative - sponsored by Aviva Community Fund 
  • Winner - Helping Hands (Thrive & The Pantry) 
  • Runner up - Folk in a Field 
• Best Farming Innovation Adopter - sponsored by Lovewell Blake 
  • Winner - Pearn Wyatt & Son 
  • Runner up - Fischer Farms 
• Best Food and Drink Producer - sponsored by Fountain Fresh 
  • Winner - Nurtured in Norfolk 
  • Runner up - Barsham Brewery 
• Norfolk's Unsung Hero - sponsored by Poultec 
  • Winner - David Holliday (Moon Gazer Ale) 
  • Runners up - Ben Eagle (Rural Pod Media); Neal Sands (Sands Agricultural Machinery) 
• Best Farming Champion - sponsored by CLG Norfolk Ltd 
  • Winner - Richard Hirst 
  • Runners up - Michael Balls, David Lyles 
• Best Emerging Talent - sponsored by PlantGrow 
  • Winner - Henry Stanford 
  • Runner up - Abigail Mallett 
• Best Rural Tourism Attraction - sponsored by Thursford  
  • Winner - Pensthorpe 
  • Runner up - Watatunga Wildlife Reserve 
• Best Sustainable Land Use - sponsored by Birketts 
  • Winner - Wendling Beck 
  • Runner up - North Norfolk Coastal Group 
• Best Rural Business - sponsored by New Anglia Growth Hub  
  • Winner - Algy's Farm Shop 
  • Runners up - Norfolk Stores Ltd; The Angel Inn Loddon 

Cllr Fabian Eagle, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said: "Businesses and individuals like these showcase the very best of Norfolk and play an important role in our rural communities and economy.   

"They deserve public recognition for what they achieve and represent and that's what these awards are all about."  

Mark Nicholas, Managing Director of the RNAA commented: "Once again these awards have highlighted the amazing things that people, businesses and organisations are doing in our rural areas. I would like to congratulate all our winners and runners up.