Enterprise support organisations uniquely recognised for the third year
NFEA - the national enterprise network - is pleased to announce the winners of the third annual National Enterprise Awards - recognised at a dedicated ceremony on Wednesday 16 September at the Barclays sponsored NFEA Annual Conference. The winners of five categories were announced during the gala dinner at The Royal York Hotel in York - awards for Best Website, Combating Worklessness, Customer Focus, Innovation and Unsung Hero, as well as a special acknowledgement for a Corporate Partnership.
Developed by NFEA, and this year sponsored by Sage UK Limited, the National Enterprise Awards launched in 2007 to support and celebrate the achievements of the NFEA network of enterprise support organisations. The awards recognise excellence in the delivery of enterprise support by encouraging the exchange of good practice and the development of improved services and organisations. Winners were chosen by an external judging panel, including Ann Carter Gray, Strategic Partnerships, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and Alex McWhirter, Assistant Director, Business at Yorkshire Forward.
The National Enterprise Award for Best Website recognised sites that have demonstrated excellence in design, technology and usability; reaching specific target markets and highlighting the effective and attractive use of the Web. The award was won by Enterprise First in the South East for www.enterprisefirst.co.uk - which gives visitors a clear view of available services, excellent links to a wide range of support and also displays glowing client references. The recent redesign has had an immediate positive impact of the agency’s business.
Entrants in the National Enterprise Award for Combating Worklessness were asked to showcase specific programmes for which the impact upon unemployed clients has been both beneficial and long-standing. The award was won by Furness Enterprise, based in Barrow in Furness, whose comprehensive, community-based programme was designed to address specific problems arising out of area-based industrial decline. The programme has shown a strong understanding of community needs, with impressive results and inspiring customer feedback.
Enterprise agency Northern Pinetree Trust, located in Chester Le Street, was presented with the National Enterprise Award for Customer Focus, a category that was looking for examples of good practice in designing, delivering and communicating products and services, to address the distinct requirements of particular customer groups. Through its bespoke programme designed for the needs of disabled people, Northern Pinetree Trust has shown how taking a personal approach to the delivery of enterprise support can have a huge impact on both clients’ business and personal development.
Applications received for the National Enterprise Award for Innovation highlighted how NFEA enterprise support organisations are developing innovative approaches to enterprise support - and Birmingham based Business Insight was presented with the award for the development of its comprehensive, customer-driven tool www.bestforbusiness.com. With in-depth information and web-based services, the highly-ambitious project demonstrates how online systems can complement one-to-one business support, shows the positive effects of working with a long-term private-sector partner and has also received impressive client feedback.
The National Enterprise Award for Unsung Hero acknowledged the vital input of an individual who is less visible but has gone beyond the call of duty and is a shining example of how to be enterprising. The award winner was Shelagh Barton, a highly-committed Business Adviser from TEDCO in Tyneside who has had a significant impact on grass-roots enterprise and whose belief in the positive impact of enterprise extends way beyond her job description. Shelagh has given-up much personal time to make a difference to many of her clients and also draws extensive praise from partner organisations in the area.
The National Enterprise Corporate Partnership Award was an additional award, presented to ICONI Software Limited for its outstanding commitment to enterprise and business support. ICONI is a specialist software company and a provider of products and services to many NFEA members. The organisation has been a supporter of NFEA and its network for many years and NFEA wanted to recognise this ongoing relationship and acknowledge its appreciation more widely.
The ceremony also included two awards for the Barclay’s Let’s Talk programme - business start up seminars run by NFEA Members across the country. The Barclay’s Let’s Talk Contractor of the Year was announced as HBV Enterprise in Hackney for its exceptional delivery of the programme over the contracted targets and for thorough administration throughout the year. Barclay’s Let’s Talk Newcomer of the Year, a new award category, was given to South East Enterprise in London, a new delivery agency for the programme this year.
George Derbyshire, NFEA Chief Executive, said: “The objective of the NFEA National Enterprise Awards is to recognise outstanding achievement amongst our members and also to showcase successful projects and programmes that we can all learn from. As a judge, I am delighted to confirm that the quality of entries was higher than ever this year and I am sure the success of the award winners will encourage other members to emulate their example of innovation and proactivity.”
The National Enterprise Awards ceremony was hosted by stand up comedian and eccentric adventurer Tim FitzHigham at the Barclays sponsored 2009 NFEA Annual Conference gala dinner. Each National Enterprise Award winner was presented with an engraved trophy and a bottle of champagne supplied by The Slug and Lettuce restaurant chain.
- Ends -
For further information or comment on the National Enterprise Awards or the 2009 winners, please contact Hayley Williams, NFEA Head of Communications on hayley.williams@nfea.com or 01234 831623. A full shortlist for each category is available from www.nfea.com/awards
PHOTO AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
Editors Notes:
About Sage
UK Headquartered in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Sage (UK) Limited is a subsidiary of The Sage Group plc, a leading supplier of business software and services to 5.7 million customers worldwide. Formed in 1981, the Group was floated on the stock exchange in 1989 and now employs 14,800 people in its market leading companies worldwide. Through its people, business software, services and partners, Sage is passionate about helping businesses of all sizes achieve their ambitions by helping them to overcome the day-to-day practicalities of running a business, so that they can do business the way they want to. www.sage.co.uk
About Barclays Local Business
Barclays Local Business provides great value to its customers by offering services and a comprehensive range of tailored business banking products to more than 600,000 businesses typically with a turn over less than £1 million. www.barclays.co.uk/business