THE ORGANISERS of Burnham-on-Sea Food Festival have been shortlisted as finalists in the UK's inagural Small Awards in Association with Facebook.

Bev and Sarah Milner Simonds' small business, Eat:Festivals which stages five free food and drink festivals each year has been shortlisted for the 'Heart of Gold' category at the awards which aim to recognise the achievements of small and micro-businesses.

Bev Milner Simonds, director of Eat: Festivals, said:"We are over the moon to have been shortlisted in the Small Awards.

"The festivals are a real celebration of each town and their great surrounding producers.

"We bring people together and hopefully add a bit of sparkle.

"Our aim is to create great free days out and help people to reconnect with the productive countryside around them."

The small business launched in 2012 and their food festival in Burnham takes place twice a year with more than 20,000 people attending each one.

In 2016, the business took over the well-established Wellington Festival and introduced the 'Young Makers Market' which offers free pitches to new business owners aged 16 to 24 and a bursary for new food and drink businesses attending the event.

This year, the festival organisers will be hosting a Somerset Day in Taunton on May 12.

Michelle Ovens MBE, director of the Small Awards, said: "There is so much vibrancy in the UK’s small business sector, so many great stories and examples of innovation, achievement, community spirit and social responsibility.

"We are thrilled to be able to shine a light on some of the best, like Eat Festivals."

Organisers of the festival will find out if they have won the award at a ceremony in London on May 25 hosted by comedian and television personality, Sue Perkins.

Judges at this year's awards include Sir Vince Cable, former business secretary, Mark Wright, winner of the Apprentice 2014 and Ed Vaizey, former digital and culture minister.

One of the individual category winners will also be named overall Small Business of the Year and will receive £1,000 of free advertising credit from Facebook.

For more information visit thesmallawards.uk, find them on Twitter @thesmallawards or find them on Facebook at facebook.com/thesmallawards.