BUSINESSES have just over one month left to enter a prestigious annual awards scheme which aims to celebrate and raise the profile of successful businesses across the Great Yarmouth borough.
The Spirit of Enterprise Awards 2015 is organised by enterpriseGY, Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s business support service, and is a chance for top-performing businesses of all sizes, sectors and ages to step into the spotlight.
Interest in the prestigious awards scheme has been growing since entries opened on Tuesday, June 23. Businesses have until 4pm on Friday, September 11 to put themselves forward in the various categories.
It is free-of-charge to enter and finalists will be profiled in a supplement in the Great Yarmouth Mercury, with winners appearing in a further supplement. The winner of each category, plus the winner of the overall 2015 Business of the Year Award, will be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony, at the Town Hall on Friday, November 20.
For the first time, applications can be filled out and submitted online at www.soea.co.uk via a new online entry system, which makes it quicker and easier for businesses to enter multiple categories. There is also a new category for 2015, Great Family Owned Business.
Each award is backed by a local organisation. Sponsors choose the winner in their category from three finalists shortlisted by a local independent panel or the category sponsor themselves, and also benefit from publicity at the ceremony and in the newspaper supplements.
The main sponsor is local chartered accountants, Lovewell Blake LLP, which will choose the 2015 Business of the Year from the winners of the other categories.
The categories are:
- Business of the Year – sponsored by Lovewell Blake LLP
- Great Manufacturing/Engineering Business – sponsored by Great Yarmouth College
- Great New Business – sponsored by Itron
- Great International Growth – sponsored by GYB Services Ltd
- Great Investment in Young People – sponsored by Subsea Technology and Rentals
- Great Business Growth – sponsored by the Great Yarmouth Mercury
- Great Business Idea – sponsor TBC
- Great Community Contribution – sponsor TBC
- Great Customer Service – sponsored by Greater Yarmouth Tourism and Business Improvement Area
- Great Family Owned Business – Birketts
Cllr Graham Plant, the council leader, said: “The awards scheme, now in its eighth year, has grown in stature year-on-year and is a fantastic showcase of businesses of all sizes, sectors and ages from across the borough, and of the strength of the local economy.
“There is now just over one month left for the many successful businesses across the borough to take up this fantastic opportunity to showcase themselves on a very public platform.
“Several entries have already come in – and the new online application system makes it quicker and easier than ever before to enter multiple categories. We always have great feedback from both the entrants and sponsors, with last year’s awards ceremony considered the best yet.
“So if you think you could win a category or even be crowned the 2015 Business of the Year, make sure you submit the entry form by Friday, September 11.”
Businesses and potential sponsors seeking more information can visit www.soea.co.uk or call Sally Pearson, enterpriseGY programme development officer, on 01493 846632.
Notes:
- The Spirit of Enterprise Awards is the centrepiece of a two-year programme of enhanced activities by enterpriseGY, supported by the Coastal Communities Fund, which aims to create and safeguard more than 260 jobs, address seasonality and raise the perception of Great Yarmouth to that of the “Enterprise Town for Business Growth and Job Creation”.
- enterpriseGY, based in the Novus Centre, at The Conge, Great Yarmouth, is a joint borough council- and CCF-funded programme for businesses in Great Yarmouth offering business support, business advice and training for start-up businesses and existing businesses.
- The Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) aims to encourage the economic development of UK coastal communities by awarding funding to create sustainable economic growth and jobs. Since the start of the CCF in 2012, grants have been awarded to 145 organisations across the UK to the value of £71million. This funding is forecast to deliver 9,184 jobs and help attract around £115million of additional funds to coastal areas. The Big Lottery Fund is delivering the CCF on behalf of UK Government and the Devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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