PEOPLE ACROSS Scotland are being urged to highlight the work done by local estates and land-based businesses to help their surrounding communities, by nominating them for the Helping It Happen Awards 2018.

Following a successful inaugural year in 2017, Scottish Land and Estates has once again opened nominations for the national Awards, once again be sponsored by The MacRobert Trust.

Entries will be considered in the following nine categories: Rural business award; tourism award; rural housing award; education award; MacRobert Trust award for Working with Communities; conservation award; the Iver Salvesen Green Business award; innovation in farming award; and the Enhancing Our Environment award.

To launch the 2018 awards, SLaE chairman David Johnstone visited Luss Estates at Loch Lomond, which, together with Drimnin Estate, was joint-winner of the Rural Business category in the 2017 awards.

Mr Johnstone said: “We want to highlight and celebrate the significant positive contribution land-based businesses make in rural areas throughout Scotland – in particular, the ways in which they add value to the local economy and the environment for the wider benefit of the community. We were incredibly pleased with the success of the augural awards in 2017 and are building on this in 2018 through the creation of additional categories to celebrate innovation in farming and environmental enhancement.

“We urge people up and down the country to submit their entries for this year’s awards – the quality of entries last year was exceptional, and we are looking forward to receiving this year’s crop of stories. I am sure the judges will have a tough task in narrowing down the shortlist once entries close in July this year.”

Luss Estates chief executive officer Simon Miller said: “Our main task is to preserve and enhance the area for future generations. Crucial steps in order to achieve this are to provide economic and employment opportunities and create new family housing. This is at the forefront of what we do, by investing in and developing our own enterprises, and encouraging others to invest in the local area and live here."

To nominate, people are being asked to share how their local estate, farm or rural business has made a positive contribution to their area. Entries should be submitted via the Helping It Happen website – www.helpingithappen.co.uk – before the closing date of July 13, 2018.