Poole's Twin Sails Bridge. Picture: Tessa Bishop/Shutterstock.com
Published: July 30, 2021 | Updated: 31st July 2021
Poole is to get its own local business awards.
Marketing West Events, the company behind a series of successful business awards across Dorset, has officially launched the Poole Business Awards.
The awards plan includes a networking lunch in September and a lunchtime awards ceremony in November.
The event will also be streamed live to reach the maximum audience.
The awards website is now live – poolebusinessawards.co.uk – and entry forms will be on the site early next month.
Entry is free and businesses can enter as many categories as they wish.
So far there are 15 categories but organisers are encouraging anyone who’d like to suggest additional ones to get in touch.
The 15 categories are:
Supporters of the awards include Dorset Mind, Poole-based Hot Radio and Dorset Growth Hub.
Dorset Biz News is proud to be chosen as Media Partner.
Marketing West Events is now placing the category sponsorship.
Nigel Reeve, of Marketing West Events, pictured left, said: “The response to date has been incredibly positive, especially after the last 15 months of lockdowns.
“The focus of the awards is to promote the range and quality of local businesses.
“We are deliberately holding the awards ceremony at lunchtime as we want to retain the focus on local businesses, instead of making them an excuse for a party.”
The awards will also include a special community award organised in conjunction with Dorset Mind.
Marianne Storey, pictured right, CEO of Dorset Mind, said: “We’re extremely delighted to take part in the inaugural Poole Business Awards, and excited to sponsor a special category – ‘The Dorset Mind Excellence in the Community’ Award.
“We want to award this to recognise the individual or business that has made a remarkable impact to their community over the last challenging year.
“As a charity, we witnessed the effect lockdown had locally, exaggerating mental health issues, loneliness and isolation.
“But encouragingly, we also saw a new community spirit evolve again, new businesses spring up and others adapt quickly to a new way of working to ensure continuity.
“This award recognises our unsung heroes that made such a huge difference to our local community.”
Marketing West Events staged its first awards – the Bridport Business Awards 2020 – in March last year, a week before lockdown.
Last October it ran the the online-only Yeovil Business Awards 2020.
Since restrictions eased this May, and keeping within the guidelines, it’s organised:
Next week sees the Lyme Regis Business Awards, on August 4.
Total entries to date across all the awards has been more than 600 while over 300 people have attended the various ceremonies.
The number would have been higher without the 50 per cent of capacity restrictions.
Total viewings of the streamed awards have been 1,383.
