Young Rural Entrepreneur of 2007

The search is on to find the Young Rural Entrepreneur of 2007. A cash prize of £10,000 is up for grabs to anyone under the age of 35 who is helping to boost the UK’s rural economy amid an ever changing rural landscape.

Working in partnership with The Field magazine, the Young Rural Entrepreneur Award will focus specifically on businesses with a rural theme, and on the individuals behind them who have demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit coupled with a clear commitment to sustaining the rural economy.

The outlook for rural business is brighter, with the resurgence in demand for locally produced food and drink, coupled with the successful diversification of farm activity across the UK. The use of modern technology to work remotely is also helping to create sustainable rural employment, attracting professionals to the countryside.

Following on from the success of last year’s Young Champion of the Countryside award, the winning entrepreneur could be running any type of business from soup making to computer software design. Most importantly the award will be a reflection of just how well this business interacts with and benefits rural economies and communities.

Angus Keate, chief executive of Lycetts Insurance, explains “This year’s award is much more commercially focused to reflect just how much the countryside has changed and how so many farms and landowners have diversified into more commercially orientated activities.”

Jonathan Young, Editor of The Field, added: “Today’s countryside is flourishing once again thanks to the diversity of rural employment and we wanted to reflect and encourage this trend, especially among young rural entrepreneurs.”

The competition is open for three months with entries welcomed before the closing date of 12th August.

A panel of judges which includes: ‘The Black Farmer’, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones; Caroline Dickinson, co-founder of The Real Soup Company; Nicholas Wheeler, founder of international tailor, Charles Tyrwhitt; Jonathan Young, editor of The Field; Angus Keate, chief executive of Lycetts; and Charles Seymour, managing director of Lycetts Rural Division, will choose the winner, to be announced at a reception in London on 18th October.

Nominations can be submitted by or on behalf of an individual who meets the awards criteria. For further information, please visit www.thefield.co.uk.