RIBBLE Valley MP, Nigel Evans, attended the ‘rural Oscars’ at the House of Lords.
Speaking after the reception at the Countryside Alliance Awards, Mr Evans said: “They call these awards the rural Oscars and they are a fantastic celebration of the magnificent farmers, shops and rural businesses that we are lucky enough to have throughout the UK.
“More often than not the produce sold is produced in neighbouring communities and these businesses provide the lifeblood of villages and towns across the country.
“We have a rich rural heritage that had been allowed to fade.
"I am delighted, as demonstrated by the fact that this was the 6th annual awards, that the countryside is going from strength to strength and long may that continue.”
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