Applications for the Chamber Business Awards 2020 will open at 9am on Friday, January 24, and I encourage businesses of all sizes, sectors, Members and Non-members from across Herefordshire and Worcestershire to enter at least one of the 15 categories available for this year’s awards.

They include two new categories for this year; Commitment to the Community Award and Excellence in Sustainability. Entrants have until 4pm on Friday, March 27, to complete and submit their applications to be considered as a finalist.

The awards bring together the business community and around 680 attendees to the Worcester Arena on Thursday, July 2, and is free to enter for all businesses around the Herefordshire and Worcestershire area.

If you feel you would like to enter the awards but don’t know where to begin with your nomination, then please do attend the ‘Is your business ready to enter the Chamber Awards’ event on Thursday, January 213, from 8am-9.30am at the Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Guest speakers including Emma Chetwynd Jarvis, Electrical Connections Manager at Rock Power Connections Ltd, Alexandra Mills, Brand Manager for Kingspan Insulation and finally Chris Walklett, Tax Partner at Bishop Fleming, who will all be willing to share their knowledge and positive experiences of entering the Chamber Business Awards.

The winners of the H&W Chamber Business Awards will then go on to compete at the British Chamber’s of Commerce Regional Awards and if successful in that category, businesses will then be invited to the BCC’s National Chamber Business Awards gala event held in London.

Last year saw accountancy firm and Chamber Members Bishop Fleming crowned as Business of the Year 2019 in what was a magnificent achievement and honour for them.

Ian Smith, Bishop Fleming Chair, said at the time: “I am over the moon that we have been recognised as 2019 Business of the Year.

“To have so many quality finalists from Herefordshire and Worcestershire shows what amazing places our counties are for business and what a great Chamber we have supporting us.”

To find out more about the Chamber Business Awards please contact our Events team on 01905 673 624 when applications go live or email events@hwchamber.co.uk to book your place on the Award Entries Workshop.