A village shop in Dorset has been crowned as a regional winner in a national awards ceremony dubbed the “Rural Oscars”.

The Child Okeford Village Shop claimed the title of best 'Village Shop / Post Office' in the South West of England at the 2024 Countryside Alliance Awards.

The Countryside Alliance Awards which are now in their 17th year recognise rural businesses across five categories, this includes:

  • ‘Best local food’
  • ‘Best butcher’
  • ‘Best pub’
  • ‘Best rural enterprise’
  • ‘Best village shop/post office’

Sarah Lee, Countryside Alliance director of policy, commented: "We are proud to be honouring these exceptional rural businesses, and the people behind them who are passionate about providing quality goods, services, and employment to rural communities and beyond.

"Running a business in a rural community isn’t easy, and it’s so important to celebrate the valued role these rural enterprises have in their communities. We look forward to seeing them in London at the national champions reception!"

The full list of regional winners can be found on the Countryside Alliance Awards website here.

Child Okeford Village Shop wins award at 'Rural Oscars'

On its website, the Child Okeford Village Shop is keen to highlight its offering of local produce.

It says: "We are proud of our Dorset heritage and do everything we can to support local farms and suppliers in our store. Come and check out some of our new health foods."

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Alongside that, they bake fresh bread and pastries every morning and have a bespoke wine collection.

They add: "Come and take a look at our brand new wine and craft ale collection. We have handpicked a selection of local and international products to ensure there is something for everyone."

Additionally, they operate a post office within the premises which "offers all the usual services including Mailing, banking, foreign exchange and Mobile Top ups".