West Country Blacksmithing LTD has been shortlisted to win a Countryside Alliance Award in the South West Rural Enterprise category.
The awards are the Countryside Alliance’s annual celebration of British food and farming, enterprise and heritage. The awards are now in their 16th year and have become the definitive rural business award to win.
They are set apart from other award schemes because they are driven by public nomination, offering customers the chance to tell us why their favourite businesses are worthy of national acclaim. The awards received over seventeen thousand nominations this year so West Country Blacksmiths has done extremely well to be shortlisted. 
West Country Blacksmiths is a bespoke metalwork specialist based on the edge of Exmoor. They work locally and nationally on a wide variety of projects with their current project including gates and handrails for the Crystal Palace first class subway redevelopment, historic cast iron balustrade and guttering restoration at the Palace Theatre, in Swansea, and three pairs of gates for a private property in Australia. The team do this while offering a first-class service to the local community repairing and making metalwork for the local community.
Countryside Alliance Awards Director, Sarah Lee, said: “We have been overwhelmed by nominations this year. The secret to the Rural Oscars’ popularity is that they honour the people involved in these businesses and not just their produce or services. 
“They exist to sing the praises of those who work hard to keep our communities and rural economy ticking, but don’t seek the spotlight. These awards provide a cause for celebration in a time of great uncertainty in the countryside. Our local produce is second to none and there are many community heroes and businesses worthy of national recognition.”
Kieren Roberts, from West Country Blacksmiths, said: “Thank you to the people that nominated us for this award, we are very privileged to work within a fantastic community who support us in any way they can.
“Being shortlisted for this award means a lot to us and helps us share what we do with the wider community. We would like to thank all our customers for choosing us for their metalworking requirements and our extremely hardworking and committed team.”
Winners will be chosen via a public vote in February and announced in the spring. The winners of each region will be up against fellow winners from around the UK and the national champion will be announced at the House of Lords in the national champions reception in June.
Join Somerset Chamber of Commerce to give your business a stronger voice both locally, regionally and nationally. Combined with local town chambers, we represent over 2,000 businesses across Somerset with a direct line to policy-makers at all levels.
