The show season is now over and we will be attending as many point-to-points as we can. I would like to thank very much all those volunteers who manned the stand last show season – it was a great help and very successful.

I have been contacting every MP in the Eastern Region and have had some very encouraging replies. I have already met some MPs in their constituency or in London and all have been keen to hear the Alliance's message; be it on rural broad band, transport, outdoor education or repeal of the Hunting Act and I have some lined up for the remainder of this year and into next.

I have also been contacting our Repeal Ambassadors who play a vital role in maintaining close contact with their MP. We are currently filling in the gaps and appointing more RAs to MPs who do not have one. If any-one would be willing to help in this role, I would be very grateful to hear from you. It is not an onerous task, but it is important to have a good local line of communication open to all our MPs and ensure that they are invited to such functions as puppy shows, point to points and open days and basically to be a known face to the MP if they attend such an event.

We will be attending several shows and events next year, the first of which will be the Fakenham Race Day on Friday 17th February. As well as a first class day's racing, this year there will be lunch available and an auction.

We are also running the Countryside Alliance National Sporting Auction with Cheffins in Cambridge on 21st and 22nd March. Please see details further on.

The Essex committee ran an excellent Game to Eat Dinner at Blake Hall, Ongar at the end of October with an Auction which was well attended with some outstanding food provided. Thank you to Liz Burbidge and her team for organising such an enjoyable evening and to all who donated auction lots.

If you would like an event advertised on the grass e-route or would like to get in contact with me, please contact me on William-burton@countryside-alliance.org or 07738 959900 

We are all in the Eastern region very sorry to hear of the news that our previous Regional Director, and latterly Chief Executive, Alice Barnard is leaving the CA after five years . The esteem in which she is held in the Eastern Region is immense.

The Eastern Region’s finalists have been announced in the 2011 Countryside Alliance awards with top local businesses vying for one of four regional titles and the chance of national acclaim.

The Countryside Alliance Awards nicknamed the ‘Rural Oscars’ are now in their seventh year of celebrating the characters, skills, traditions and enterprise of the countryside through the people who work so hard to make it tick. Each finalist has received numerous nominations from adoring customers and supporters and hopes to go all the way to the Parliamentary final next March. The 2011 Eastern Region finalists are:

Local Food category finalists
• Back to the Garden, Letheringsett, Holt, Norfolk
• Friends Farm Shop (c/o Roxton Garden Center), Roxton, Bedfordshire
• Suffolk Food Hall, Wherstead, Ipswich, Suffolk
• Willowbrook Farm, Helpston Heath, Peterborough

Village Shop category finalists
• Caistor Post Office, Caistor, Lincolnshire
• Kings Walden Post Office and Stores, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
• Orford General Store, Orford, Ipswich, Suffolk
• Torskey Village Shop, Torskey, Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Enterprise finalists
• Marybelle Dairy, Walpole, Halesworth, Suffolk
• The Cholmeley Arms, Burton-le-Coggles, Grantham, Lincolnshire
• Valley Farm Equestrian Leisure, Wickham Market, Suffolk

Butcher finalists
• G F White Traditional Butchers, Aylsham, Norfolk
• M & M Rutland Butchers, Melton Constable, Norfolk
• Woburn Country Foods, Haynes West End, Bedfordshire

These businesses represent the very best of the East of England’s produce, enterprise and community spirit and I congratulate the finalists on getting this far in what is an increasingly competitive Awards scheme. I look forward to meeting the people behind each business and speaking to them about their valued contribution to our economy and communities. I am now on the judging trail and will bring you news of our winners in January. Good luck to all!

• Sunday 27th November 2011: Cambridge University United Hunts Club point to point – Cottenham
• Saturday 31st December 2011: Cambridge Harriers Hunt Club point to point – Cottenham
• Sunday 15th January 2012: Dunston Hariers point to point – Ampton
• Sunday 29th January 2012: North Norfolk Harriers point to point – Higham

For further information please see www.pointingea.com