Member Article

More to be done as the West Midlands closes the gap on London for Queen's Awards

Firms in the West Midlands are closing the gap on London and the South East when it comes to landing the most prestigious business award in the UK – but there is still more to be done.

That was the message at an event hosted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber alongside the Lord and Deputy Lieutenants of Warwickshire and the West Midlands at The Manufacturing Technology Centre at Ansty.

The event, in conjunction with the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, was looking at how companies can enter the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, what criteria they need to meet and the benefits they bring to a business.

Gathered companies heard from Joseph Greenwell CBE DL; George Marsh TD DL; Michael Fetherston-Dilke, Vice Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire DL; and John Crabtree OBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands.

They were also given an insight into winning a Queen’s Award by previous winners including Terry Spall, of HORIBA MIRA; Karen Lynch, of Belu Water; and Kate Birch, of Coachbuilt UK.

John Rimmer, a specialist in applying for Queen’s Awards, ran companies through the process and described how the narrative behind a business’s achievements was crucial to catching the eye of the judges – but that it had to be backed up by sound evidence.

Louise Bennett, the chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We started holding the Queen’s Awards masterclasses with the Deputy Lieutenancy for the region a few years ago when it was abundantly clear that our patch wasn’t punching anywhere near its weight when it comes to the award.

“This is one of the most prestigious prizes a business can win and will elevate a company above its competition, especially on the international stage.

“So we want as many firms from Coventry, Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands to apply and win.

“We have done well in closing the gap but there is still more to be done – in the last round of awards there were 52 from London and only 15 from the West Midlands so we still believe we can do a lot better.

“I would urge, therefore, companies from right across the region to look at the criteria for the awards, see if they are eligible and go for it. It helps to boost morale in the company, raise its profile and, also, will bring significant benefits to the bottom line too.

“We know that there are companies across our region who have the right story to tell and the time is right to put themselves forward for a Queen’s Award.”

For more information, go to https://www.gov.uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise/eligibility

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .