VALE MP Alun Cairns is urging local community to get nominating the Vale's food and farming businesses as the ninth annual Countryside Alliance Awards are now open to public nominations.

Nicknamed the Rural Oscars, the awards were created to support and promote rural communities. They celebrate people going the extra mile to ensure that rural Britains food and farming industry, small businesses, traditional skills, forward-thinking enterprises and most of all, its people, can flourish.

Alun Cairns said: "These awards are an excellent way to promote the businessmen and women based here in the Vale who are working hard to keep our rural environment here in the Vale and across Britain thriving.

Our local produce here in the Vale is second to none, as was evidenced at the recent hugely successful Vale Show at Fonmon. There as many community heroes and businesses worthy of national recognition, so please get involved and nominate today.  It would be great to bring a British title home and highlight the exceptional standards we have here in the Vale."

The awards run across the following categories:

Local Food Award

Village shop/Post Office Award

Butcher Award

Start-up Award

Nominations are now open online at www.countrysideallianceawards.org until November 1, 2013.