Member Article

Midlands’ Family Business Awards plans underway

The chance to connect with thousands of thriving businesses is up for grabs as plans for the UK’s only not-for-profit Awards for Midlands’ family businesses 2017 get underway.

The independent Midlands Family Business Awards is a charitable initiative created to celebrate and recognise the success of the region’s family run and owned businesses, and their organisers have issued a call for businesses to lend their support and get involved in 2017, the eighth year of the Awards.

According to their organisers The Wilson Organisation, a third generation family business based in Nottingham, by getting involved at this early stage, businesses can play a big part in shaping the 2017 Awards and align themselves with one of this year’s ten categories that best fits their business model and objectives.

The final list of awards and categories for 2017 is still under development, but so far includes the coveted headline Midlands Family Business of the Year award, Fastest Growing Family Business, and Best Use of Digital and Entrepreneur of the Year.

“The Awards are firmly established as a highlight in the Midlands calendar,” says Charlotte Perkins, MD of The Wilson Organisation, which created the Awards.

“By taking part and supporting the Awards as a sponsor, businesses can put their brand in front of an audience of family business leaders and decision makers, as well as take advantage of a variety of opportunities throughout the year.

“The Awards calendar includes events when sponsors can meet Awards’ entrants, fellow sponsors and supporters, past winners and representatives of our independent judging panel from some of the region’s top family and private businesses. It includes the launch events across the Midlands in May, the category judging days in September, and the exclusive Awards Dinner in November. At all of these, our Award sponsors take a central role, and get to meet some amazing people too.”

She adds: “Aligning their business with the Midlands’ family business sector illustrates support and understanding of one of the UK’s strongest sectors. The region is home to more than half-a-million family run and owned firms, and nationally family businesses account for two in every three UK private enterprises and employ over 9 million people.”

As a charitable initiative, the Awards are indebted to its sponsors and supporters, says Charlotte: “All our supporters are firmly committed to the family business sector, and also bring expertise and understanding to help family businesses and their leaders achieve their objectives.

“We are very lucky to have had support from a number of businesses and organisations for many years, including PwC in the Midlands.”

Chris Romans, partner at PwC, explains: “We were so impressed after attending the very first Awards dinner that our Private Business team jumped at the chance of increasing our involvement by becoming a category sponsor.

“We were impressed by the number and quality of entries, the great organisation, high quality event and strong media coverage of the Awards. The judging and Awards have enabled us to meet and build relationships with a wide range of great Midlands family businesses and our dedicated team of family and private business specialists have been honoured to assist many of these with their success stories along the way.”

Current holder of the Midlands Family Business of the Year title is Nottingham auctioneer and second generation family firm John Pye Auctions that was founded in 1968 and today has over 200 employees nationwide and operates across the Midlands in Derby, Birmingham and Nottingham.

To find out more about how to get involved in the Midlands Family Business Awards 2017, contact Ped Briggs email: pbriggs@wilorg.com, T: 0115 942 0111. For the full list of 2016 winners, visit: www.familybusinessawards.co.uk.

The Awards are the only independent not-for-profit Awards for family businesses in the Midlands. Their organiser The Wilson Organisation provides innovative insurance and financial solutions to businesses and individuals both regionally and nationally. For more information, visit: www.wilorg.com, or Tel: 0115 942 0111.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Midlands Family Business Awards .