Awards turn spotlight on family businesses

Leading Midlands family-run business, The Wilson Organisation, is turning the spotlight on the great work of the region’s other family businesses and their leaders, by launching a new set of Awards that for the first time will showcase their achievements.

The 2010 Midlands Family Business Awards, a not-for-profit venture, present the best run family businesses with an opportunity to shine in an Awards scheme dedicated to highlighting and recognising the contribution Midlands family businesses make to the UK and regional economy.

"Family businesses contribute more than thirty per cent of the UK GDP and employ 9.5 million people," says Wilsons' MD Charlotte Prow, who runs the business alongside her sister Annabel. "However, the support and recognition offered to their leaders is limited.

"As a family-owned and run business, Wilsons is strongly committed to the family business sector and to helping its leaders succeed in what can often be quite lonely roles. Underlining this commitment, we feel the time is right to turn the spotlight on the great contribution family businesses and their leaders make, by launching this new Award scheme, which we believe is unique in the region and will truly celebrate the impact family businesses make here in the Midlands."

The Awards has already secured the support of businesses based across the region - sponsor of the headline category ‘Family Business of the Year' is RSM Tenon, with further confirmed sponsors including Connect Midlands, Aviva, Axa, EFG Private Bank and Young & Pearce Solicitors.

As well as the headline Family Business of the Year Award, categories will recognise ‘Business innovation of the year', ‘Fastest growing family business', ‘Best development of talent', ‘Best newly established family business', and ‘Development of International markets'.

Designed as a not-for-profit venture, all proceeds from the Midlands Family Business Awards will go to charities supporting young enterprise and young people, as Awards' Project Manager Hilary Campton, explains: "Wilsons has a long commitment to supporting charities through sponsorship, fundraising and mentoring, and consider the Awards have the potential to provide additional financial support to some of the charities that provide amazing support and work for children and families.

"The three charities who will benefit from the Awards are The Venture Foundation, created by local entrepreneur Darrell West which offers a variety of educational, health and fitness programmes to young people considered ‘at risk' and who have fallen out of the education and care system. We will also support The Children's Society, a leading children's charity committed to making childhood better for all children in the UK, and The Willow Foundation that provides special days for seriously ill young adults."

The Family Business Awards 2010 will launch at a lunchtime event on the 18th March at Leicester's Hotel Maiyango, with nominations opening in the Spring. A panel of independent inspirational judges drawn from leading family businesses from across the UK, will shortlist entries for all categories, and interview the directors of the nominated businesses to identify individual Award winners, which will be announced at a glamorous awards ceremony in November.

More information and details of how to enter the 2010 Midlands Family Business Awards, are available at the dedicated website www.familybusinessawards.co.uk or by contacting Wilsons' Marketing Manager Leah Bradley, email: lbradley@wilorg.com.

Details of Award sponsorship opportunities are available from Hilary Campton, Director at V Formation and Project Manager of The Midlands Family Business Awards, contact: hilary@vformation.biz, tel: 07908 124772.