New Queen’s Award for Enterprise category to promote social mobility

August 5, 2020
Queen's Award for Enterprise

Marches businesses that promote a sustainable and inclusive culture are being invited to apply for a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in a new ‘Promoting opportunity through social mobility’ category.
Businesses in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin are being urged to join more than 7,000 winners of the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in applying for the new award category.
The award recognises those who are playing a role in creating an inclusive and compassionate society by supporting socially disadvantaged individuals to develop their skills and chances of finding work.
There are 4 award categories and winners are announced each year in April on Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday. The categories are:

  • Innovation
  • International trade
  • Promoting opportunity (through social mobility)
  • Sustainable development

Small Business Minister Paul Scully said:
“Creating opportunities through education, work and training is at the heart of our ambition to level up all parts of the UK economy, enabling people from all walks of life to reach their full potential.
“Businesses not only provide jobs and skills but can also be a force for creating lasting social change, and we want to recognise that in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.”
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious enterprise awards and offer local and global recognition for businesses. They are most likely to be the only business awards in motion this year due to the disruption caused by coronavirus and winners tell us that the awards are now more important to their business than ever.
The emblem is a royal seal of approval which helps businesses to compete on the world stage with much larger companies. It offers businesses an opportunity to connect with other winners and offer help and assistance to the wider business community.
The refocus of the Promoting opportunity (through social mobility) category gives applicants a better understanding of the application process. It will enable those whose organisations’ core aim is to provide opportunities for others, and employers with a social mobility intervention or programme, to be recognised and celebrated.
It also it easier for organisations to demonstrate how they have supported socially disadvantaged individuals in improving their job skills and their chances of finding work and provide evidence on the impacts and benefits of their interventions.
Winning business are presented with the award by one of the Queen’s personal representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant. They then have the right to fly the Queen’s Award flag at their main office and use the emblem on marketing materials for 5 years. They are also given a Grant of Appointment and a commemorative crystal trophy.
Apply for the Queen’s Awards.

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The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has now ceased trading and transferred all its functions to Shropshire Council working with Telford & Wrekin Council and Herefordshire Council, in line with the UK Government's plans for devolution.

The Marches LEP was established in 2011 and hands over an impressive legacy from its 13-year life. In that time the LEP invested over £196m in projects across the Marches, securing in excess of £100m of match funding and supported more than 66,000 business interactions.

The schemes supported have made tangible differences to local communities, increasing skills, creating jobs and improving the physical appearance of many towns.

We would like to thank all the LEP Board Members who have given their time freely over the life of the LEP, as well as all the staff who worked for the LEP over the years. We also want to thank our delivery partners, local education providers and local, regional and national stakeholders who helped us achieve so much.

The Marches Growth Hub will continue to support businesses and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford and Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Each of the three Local Authorities will also continue to provide direct business support locally. Details of this support will be available through the Marches Growth Hub website and from the Local Authorities directly. Website: www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk | email: enquiries@marchesgrowthhub.co.uk.

The Marches Careers Hub will continue to be delivered and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Website: www.marchescareershub.co.uk | email: info@marchescareershub.co.uk

For any queries about Getting Building Fund (GBF), Local Growth Fund (LGF) and Marches Investment Fund (MIF) projects supported by the Marches LEP please contact: gary.spence@shropshire.gov.uk

For any finance queries please contact: michelle.hodgkiss@shropshire.gov.uk

The solvent liquidation of the Marches LEP is being managed by the Evelyn Partners Limited. For any matter related to this please contact: Camilla.Mulholland@evelyn.com

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