‘FERMER JIM’ is set to host the Scottish Rural Awards next April – ditching his wellies for a glittering black-tie awards ceremony hosted by Scottish Countryside Alliance and the Scottish Field magazine, at the Glasgow Hilton on April, 2.

It’s been a busy year for the Perthshire based stand-up comedian who has combined working on the farm with two sell-out Fringe runs and a sell-out 40 date Scottish Tour under his belt.

He has also given us all a bit of light relief in a year of negative headlines, with his dry humour and humane insights into rural living which fill our social media feeds - with the BBC ‘The Farm Diaries’ proving a firm favourite.

The Scottish Rural Awards are now in their sixth year, celebrating success in Scotland's countryside, with 14 awards up for grabs and nominations are now open. The deadline is November, 4 with the finalists to be announced in December and the winners at the awards ceremony and gala dinner in April.

Jamie Stewart of the Scottish Countryside Alliance said: "Land-based businesses contribute over £2 billion to the Scottish economy. Despite the multiple challenges they face, they are hugely valuable brand ambassadors for Scotland, and many provide vital support to their local communities. These awards give Scotland a chance to recognise the resilience, innovation and contribution that rurally-based people and businesses make to its success."

Editor of Scottish Field, Richard Bath added:

"Our involvement with the SRA has also been an educational process: judging the awards each year has revealed the extraordinary levels of innovation and energy of the people who live in rural Scotland. In turn, the awards have given those dynamic custodians of Scotland’s rural economy the public recognition which they so richly deserve."

The full criteria for each award, along with nomination forms, are available on the Scottish Rural Awards website at www.scottishruralawards.org.