Queen's Enterprise Award: 'Powerful marketing tool'

10:01am Thursday 14th August 2008

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COMPANIES in Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire are being urged to put themselves forward for The Queen's Awards for Enterprise.

Businesses of all sizes and in all sectors are eligible to enter the awards, as long as they are based in the UK and employ at least two people full-time.

The awards are made in three categories: international trade, innovation and sustainable development, and are made by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Each summer and autumn, officials from The Queen's Awards office in London travel around the UK, visiting previous winners, leading awareness events and encouraging companies to take part.

During their tour of the south-west, Zahir Sachak, director for The Queen's Awards, and David Moore, secretary to the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee, visited the Journal to talk about the 2009 awards.

They are keen to see businesses in south Wiltshire, Hampshire and East Dorset follow in the footsteps of 2006 winner Halyard Marine of Whaddon, which designs and manufactures exhaust systems for powerboats, and cycling holiday business Country Lanes, formerly of Fordingbridge and now of Brockenhurst, which won in 2005.

Mr Moore said: "A lot of people still perceive the awards as being for large manufacturing companies, but any company with two or more employees is eligible to apply."

Of the 139 awards granted in 2008, 34 per cent employed fewer than 50 people and 70 per cent fewer than 200. Six businesses employed eight staff or fewer, and three businesses employed only three.

"Wiltshire has done very well in innovation and international trade, but it has no current award holders in sustainable development.

"Last year in the south-west we had a slight increase in applicants - up from 60 to 76 - and the number of awards went up from 11 to 12," said Mr Moore.

He said winning an award could be turned into "a powerful marketing tool".

"It does so much to raise the profile of your company," he said, "it helps you gain new business, and others take you more seriously because you have this endorsement."

Mr Sachak said the awards were also "about motivating staff and getting them involved".

The closing date for applications is October 31 and award winners will be announced on The Queen's birthday, April 21, the following year.

An application form can be completed and submitted on line by accessing the website www.queensawards.org.uk or by phoning the application hotline on 08705 13 44 86.