Pictured above: Charlotte Prow, MD of Wilsons which underwrites the Midlands Family Business Awards at the launch of the Awards' new category for rural businesses

The Midlands' only set of Awards that recognise the work and achievements of family businesses and owners has launched this year with a new category for rural family businesses.

The new category, Best Rural Family Business, is one of ten in the 2011 Midlands Family Business Awards.

Category sponsor is regional law firm Roythornes, one of the UK's leading agricultural and rural business law firms, and the award has John Horrell, MD of family business Dodson & Horrell, Europe's leading horse feed manufacturer, confirmed as heading its judging panel.

Roythornes is supporting the Awards' Rural category in recognition of "the absolute and long running commitment that families give their rural businesses", according to Vember Mortlock, Partner and Head of Agriculture at Roythornes.

She explains: "Rural family businesses play a critical role in the region's economy and the community in which they are based. They provide employment and protect some of our most precious landscapes, at the same time as running modern businesses which have to make a profit and continually face the same commercial pressures as those in any other sector. Furthermore, many rural businesses are also family businesses, and have to marry the day-to-day running of the business with the issues of succession, so that the farm or enterprise can be passed on to future generations.

"It is only because they are run by strong, hard working families that many of the rural businesses have endured and survived and the Midlands Family Business Awards present a unique opportunity to recognise this dedication and tenacity."

Roythornes has advised farming businesses for over 75 years and has secured top tier ranking in the East Midlands in the Legal 500, the legal profession's top directory guide, for its advice on agricultural matters. With offices in Spalding, Nottingham, Peterborough and Newmarket, Roythornes works for some of the region's largest farmers and landowners.

Additional category sponsors include accountants Smith Cooper - headline title sponsor of this year's Awards - Aviva, Barclays, Key Personnel, Positive Outcomes, ProspectIP, PwC and Unum Ltd.

The Midlands Family Business Awards, which launched in 2010, are underwritten by Nottingham insurance and financial advisory firm The Wilson Organisation, itself a third generation family business. They are run as a charitable initiative, with The Children's Society, The Willow Foundation and The Venture Foundation named as beneficiaries for the second year.

Entries for this year's Midlands Family Business Awards can be made until the 30th June. Entrants can nominate themselves or their business, or nominate on behalf of a friend, client or contact. All Award entries are free. Businesses can enter more than one category via the online Award submission process on the website www.familybusinessawards.co.uk or a paper entry option, forms for which can be downloaded from the website.

All Award finalists and winners will be unveiled at a prestigious ceremony in November.

For more information about the Midlands Family Business Awards 2011, visit www.familybusinessawards.co.uk or contact Ped Briggs, The Wilson Organisation, Tel: 0115 942 0111, email: pbriggs@wilorg.com.