A ROMSEY company is preparing to attend the national final of the UK’s leading rural business awards programme.
ChalkStream Foods, has been shortlisted in the Best Rural Food or Drink Business category.
ChalkStream Foods was established after founder, Hugo Hardman, noticed revenue streams for local fish farmers working in the River Test and River Itchen diminishing. He decided to take the fish straight from the farmers to chefs in top end restaurants and hotels across London and the South East.
The company has now diversified and sells artisan fish produce to the public through an online store.
The Rural Business Awards, held in partnership with Amazon, which will see it compete against fellow businesses from across the UK to be named among the best rural businesses in the country.
The national final of the 2021/22 Rural Business Awards takes place virtually on Thursday, February 24, following a series of regional finals in late 2021.
During the online presentation, the overall winners in each category will be announced.
The 2021/22 Rural Business Awards features 13 categories including Best Rural Start-Up Business and Best Rural Diversification Project, Best Rural Professional Services Business and The Triumph Over Adversity Award.
Rural Business Hub from Andover has been shortlisted in the Best Rural Small Business category following its triumph at the Rural Business Awards regional finals.
They are a co-working space in Hampshire aimed at rural business owners, office workers, the self-employed and freelancer.
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The company is also a big advocate for small businesses and runs a range of workshops and seminars for SMEs which offer advice on basic bookkeeping, social media strategy, copywriting, and website maintenance.
Speaking ahead of the final, Caroline Reeves, founder of rural Business Hub, said: “We were so excited to win the Rural Business Award for Best Rural Small Business at the regional final. It’s great for a business like us to be recognised by Amazon and the Rural Business Awards and we’re excited to represent our region at the national final.”
John Boumphrey, UK country manager at Amazon, said: “We are proud to continue our support of the Rural Business Awards. They are a great way to highlight the entrepreneurial spirit and the achievements of the many fantastic businesses in the rural sector across the UK.
“On behalf of everyone at Amazon, I would like to wish both finalists from Hampshire the best of luck ahead of the final.”
The Rural Business Awards 2021/22 will mark the Awards’ seventh year of celebrating the success of businesses across the UK’s rural sector.
The Rural Business Awards are the brainchild of Leicestershire businesswomen Anna Price and Jemma Clifford, who wanted to showcase the wealth of entrepreneurial talent in rural areas of Britain.
Anna Price said: “We are excited to host a seventh year of the Rural Business Awards, and every year the competition gets tougher to judge. It’s an honour to showcase the fantastic talent of the rural sector in the UK and we wish both Hampshire businesses good luck ahead of the final.”
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