Record entries for Family Business Awards

A record number of entries have been received for this year’s Midlands Family Business Awards, with almost a quarter of all entries being for the headline Family Business of the Year Award 2011.

The three new categories introduced for 2011 - Service Excellence, Rural Family Business and Best Small Family Business - between them account for more than forty percent of the overall entries, whilst Leading Advisor and Fastest Growing Family Business categories have also proved popular again.

Family run and owned businesses large and small have entered this year, from those employing more than 3000, to businesses with less than 25 employees.

Entries have been received from organisations operating across the length and breadth of the region, from Birmingham, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, to Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire.

Sectors represented in the Awards span manufacturing, engineering, transport, construction, healthcare, professional services, HR & Training, agriculture, retail and leisure.

"The quality of the entries is once again incredible," comments Awards' Project Manager Hilary Campton, "and the Awards team continues to be impressed at the innovation, size and calibre of the family run and owned businesses based in the Midlands, with many established household names and brands among this year's entrants."

The judging panel will review all entries across the Awards' ten categories, shortlisting five businesses in each, which will move onto the next stage of the Awards, interviews with the panel of independent judges during September.

This year, the panel includes Perween Warsi CBE, the founder and chief executive of Derby-based S & A Foods, Parveen Mehta, Director of Birmingham-based Minor Weir Willis Limited (MWW) and Mark Samworth of Samworth Brothers, who will lead the judges of the headline Family Business of the Year Award.

Headline sponsors of the Awards are accountants Smith Cooper, with additional category sponsors Aviva, Barclays, Key Personnel, Positive Outcomes, ProspectIP, PwC, Roythornes Solicitors and Unum Ltd.

All Award shortlisted finalists will be notified at the end of August, with individual category winners and runners-up unveiled at a prestigious ceremony in Birmingham in November.

The Midlands Family Business Awards' is a not-for-profit venture, with all proceeds going to charities supporting young enterprise and young people - The Children's Society, The Willow Foundation and The Venture Foundation. They are underwritten by independent insurance broker and family-run business, The Wilson Organisation,

For more information visit www.familybusinessawards.co.uk or contact Ped Briggs, The Wilson Organisation, Tel: 0115 942 0111, email: pbriggs@wilorg.com.