AN AWARD winning entrepreneur is encouraging other Lancashire business people to showcase their work.

Elizabeth Billington from Preston was awarded the Best Rural Drink award at this year's Rural Business Awards for her work with Wild Fox Distillery.

She is now encouraging fellow rural entrepreneurs to showcase their work, products and services to the nation at the 2021/22 Rural Business Awards.

Ms Billington said: “It was a tremendous honour to receive the Best Rural Drink Business Award at the national final of the Rural Business Awards sponsored by Amazon. We are a young business, taking a new approach to gin crafting and celebrating all things country with each recipe.

"We were very excited to receive the boost and we are looking forward to achieving even bigger things as we continue to grow.”

Wild Fox Distillery is a family of fourth generation farmers who have diversified into a farm-to-bottle gin crafting business, meaning each bottle of gin has been developed, harvested and labelled by the distillery.

The Awards, which are open for entries for 2021/22 are organised by rural business for rural business, to celebrate the achievements of rural companies and develop a strong network for rural business owners.

Shortlisted businesses will compete first in the regional finals, which will take place virtually in the North, East, Midlands, South East, South West and Wales and Northern Ireland throughout October and November 2021.

The grand final will take place early next year, where winners from the regional heats will compete for national titles.

There are 13 categories businesses can enter, ranging from Best Rural Start-Up Business and Best Rural Diversification Project: through to Best Rural Professional Services Business and The Triumph Over Adversity Award.

Director and co-Founder of the Rural Business Awards Jemma Clifford said: "We are optimistic about the future of the rural business sector after such a challenging time, and we are excited to celebrate the best rural businesses the UK has to offer.

"We encourage all rural businesses to sign up before May 21 to be in with a chance of winning an award."

To sign up, go to: https://www.ruralbusinessawards.co.uk/.