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Growing business awards: where are the local heroes?

Vanessa Zainzinger of realbusiness.co.uk looks at some inspiring entrepreneurship with a community focus.

True commitment to a community is a trait of some true heroes in Britain. We’re looking for entrepreneurs who have gone the extra mile to take their local area further.

It’s not always about scale. Denys Shortt of DCS Europe has created ten businesses in various sectors, from manufacturing to distribution, technology, consumer brands, and creative design.

He started DCS Europe plc in 1994 and has grown the company to sales of £120m, employing over 200 people. But that’s not all; he also runs a 55 acre organic farm in the Cotswolds breeding belted galloway cattle and supports the local community in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Denys Shortt won the Local Hero award at the Growing Business Awards 2011 for his commitment to helping the community. This year again we are looking for entrepreneurs who have run a successful business that has created wealth and sustainable employment, supported a valuable local project or provided leadership to their community.

You’ve read a lot about the Growing Business Awards 2012categories, from Company of the Year to Digital Champion, and you know that we are looking for tomorrow’s heroes, so we can help them reach all their goals. But the Local Hero award is different – we don’t need to know about your scaleability or growth numbers. This is about your story.

Britain needs local heroes and heroines more than ever; they can change a region or community to the better, creating new jobs and wealth. Proud of their community, they go the extra mile to improve their local area.

If you know somebody who has shown real commitment to their community, please put them forward for the Local Hero awards 2012. Or is it yourself?

Nominations are now open for the 2012 Growing Business Awards, in association with Lloyds Bank. We’re looking for entries from “future champion” businesses and individuals across ten categories. Created by Real Business and the CBI, the Growing Business Awards are the most established recognition of UK entrepreneurial achievement.

The awards are also supported by Land Rover, the Financial Mail,Spring Law, Cass Business School, Your Business Your Future,Business Voice, Professional Engineering, and bdaily. As well as huge prestige and coverage, a group of successful candidates will also be invited to an exclusive “high-performance day” at McLaren Racing, as well as joining a delegation at the 2012 CBI Annual Conference. Nominations close on September 21.

Find out more about the Growing Business Awards online, or contact us via gba@caspianmedia.com or by phone on 0207 045 7600.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .