Tag Archives: Awards

News

Dyslexic mum made MBE launches national award scheme

 A dyslexic mum made MBE has launched a new UK-wide award scheme to shine a light on the talents of dyslexic individuals as well as educators and employers who consistently inspire and empower people with dyslexia to reach their full potential.

The Dyslexia Awards will showcase the diverse skills and strengths of dyslexic people from all corners of the UK but with nominations closing on July 14 businesses, education settings and individuals have just a short window of opportunity to submit their entries.

There are a total of nine awards for adults and young people and those organisations supporting dyslexics and the categories are: Amazing Artist Award, Entrepreneur Award, Learning Support Award, Community Shining Star Award (aged 20 plus), Exceptional Educator Award, Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Award, Community Shining Star Award (aged 13 to 19), Innovation Award and Supportive Employer Award.

Awards founder Elizabeth Wilkinson, who was made an MBE in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours List for her services to dyslexia, said the awards were about celebrating diversity in the workplace, showcasing the commitment of educators and marking the achievements of those who are dyslexic to bring about positive changes in society.

“I’ve dedicated almost my entire working career to raising awareness and greater understanding of dyslexia and have supported thousands of individuals in that time,” said the 50-year-old from Shropshire.

“These awards are about celebrating the amazing talents, skills and achievements of everyday dyslexics, as well as shining a light on supportive employers and excellent educators across the nation.

“So much has been achieved to promote diversity and inclusivity in business, education and society in general but, there is still a long way to go and a lot more work to be done.

“The awards focus on positives, strengths and amazing individuals and we are inviting applications from right across the UK for the first time in the awards history.

“There are so many terrific employers and educators who ‘get’ that dyslexics offer a vast array of skills, talents and solutions and are working tirelessly to encourage, inspire and empower their dyslexic students and employees to achieve their full potential and it is this work which the awards will recognise.”

Research suggests that one in ten people in the UK are dyslexic, however it is not usually identified in childhood and around 75 per cent of diagnoses happen in adulthood, either in the workplace or university.

Elizabeth was 33 when she received her dyslexia diagnosis and 39 when she discovered she was also autistic.

Understanding she was dyslexic only came about after she had been researching the specific learning difficulty (SpLD) to provide support to her dyslexic son and the teachers who were looking after his education.

She said: “It was like a penny had dropped. Everything I read sounded so familiar, but I just wasn’t aware before then what the core deficits of dyslexia were and their impact. Once I received an official diagnosis, everything started to make a lot more sense.

“I read a lot to understand more about my dyslexia, realised that I was okay and that I could pursue my dreams of working in education and I started to redefine my life.”

In 2007, with a fresh determination, Eli went on to set up her business, The Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant and since then, she has trained thousands of business leaders and professionals on dyslexia and other SpLDs in the workplace.

She is also the founder of the Dyslexia Information Day – an annual event designed to help people access trustworthy, free information about dyslexia and other cooccurring conditions.

Then in 2015 she launched the first ever Dyslexia Awards for businesses and educators in the Shropshire region only. In 2020, the awards were open to nominations from across the West Midlands and this year, the scheme will go national culminating in an award celebration at Enginuity – an interactive engineering and design museum located in the heart of Ironbridge, the birthplace of the industrial revolution.

To see the full list of awards, information on how to enter and a timeline of key dates visit https://theddc.org.uk/dyslexiaawards/

News

Council’s Passivhaus scheme scoops excellence award

A development of new low energy social housing in Powys has been highly commended in awards that recognise the best construction projects in Wales.

Judges for Constructing Excellence in Wales were so impressed with the scheme by Powys County Council, it made a special award to the team behind the project in the Residential Property of the Year category at the ceremony at Celtic Manor on June 17.

The £1.3m development in Sarn, developed by the council’s Affordable Housing Team, was the first social housing to be built for the local authority in 30 years and the first ever to meet the stringent Passivhaus conditions.

The homes were designed by Hughes Architects with support from Passivhaus experts PYC from Welshpool and consulting civil and structural engineers Bradley Associates Ltd from Cardiff and built by Pave Aways Building Contractors.

The seven energy efficient homes — a mix of two-bedroom bungalows and two-bedroom and three-bedroom houses used low energy construction methods and included sustainability features such as solar panels and mechanical heat ventilation recovery systems that reduce running costs for tenants.

Welsh-grown wood was used for the timber frame while cellulose fibre insulation, manufactured from recycled newspaper, was used to reduce the use of plastics.

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Powys County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Farier Powys, said: “I’m delighted that our first social housing to be built in 30 years has been recognised at this prestigious awards ceremony.

“This brilliant and ground-breaking development has been built to the exceptionally low-energy Passivhaus standard which will help to cut carbon emissions while tenants will have lower energy bills.”

Pave Aways’ Managing Director Steven Owen said: “These were the first Passivhaus homes we had built so to have received this recognition in a category alongside other major projects is a great achievement.

“A challenging site, a gap locally in the specialist skills required to build to this low energy specification and the coronavirus pandemic were all obstacles overcome to deliver these much-needed homes so we’re very proud of the Pave Aways’ team and everyone involved for this award.”

Richard Lewis, director at Hughes Architects, added: “The client took a bold decision to target Passivhaus certification on a challenging site, but the whole team from client, contractor and designers showed that complex projects can be delivered here in Mid Wales.”

Awards, Finance and Banking, News, North of England

Clarion Wealth Planning scoops national award

Clarion Wealth Planning is celebrating after its paraplanning team won a national accolade.

Cheshire-based Clarion scooped the Paraplanner Team of the Year honour at the Professional Paraplanner Awards 2022, which were held in London.

It was the first time the awards have been held in person since the start of the pandemic. They were judged by experts from across the industry.

Alistair Cartwright, head of advice delivery at Clarion, who leads the paraplanning team, said: “I am so happy and proud of the team for winning this award. I’m delighted that the hard work and care we put in on behalf of our clients has been recognised in the industry.”

Adam Wareing, operations director at Clarion, said: “It’s a fantastic achievement to be named team of the year. We have a brilliant team and this honour is external recognition of the high standards we hold.

“The way in which we operate means our paraplanners couldn’t have achieved this success without the assistance of our entire team contributing and working in harmony, so in this way it reflects the tremendous efforts of everyone at Clarion.”

Paraplanners at Alderley Edge-based Clarion work closely with the firm’s team of financial planners to help build bespoke financial strategies for clients.

Alistair said the firm’s highly-qualified and trusted paraplanners are the vanguard of Clarion’s advice process and use their technical skills to help clients achieve their objectives via lifelong cash flow planning.

“Alongside our financial planners, they build relationships with clients to find out what they really want and help them to achieve their goals,” he said.

“The pandemic has seen a sea change in terms of bringing new financial objectives to the fore, such as selling a business or helping children and grandchildren, and we have been able to help clients adapt their plans to accommodate their desires in a caring and professional way.

“Our team has grown in recent months with new staff and this award demonstrates that Clarion is a great place to be a paraplanner.”

Professional Paraplanner editor Rob Kingsbury said: “The Clarion team impressed the judges with the solidarity of the team, including their shared responsibility and accountability for the service they deliver. It was clear also that the team does not stand still but is always looking at how it can improve on the service it provides.

“What most impressed the judges was the team’s focus on ensuring the end client, the customer of the firm, receives the very best service and outcomes from the advice they are given.”

Awards, News

Awards hattrick for 6CATS International

6CATS International – the global contractor management specialist – walked away with the Best International Contractor Provider accolade at the 2022 Contractor UK awards last night. This marks the third year in a row that the firm has won this prestigious award.

The Contracting Awards recognise the top contractor suppliers in the UK and are judged by a panel of experts from across the contractor, recruitment and compliance sector.

Michelle Reilly, CEO of 6CATS International and founder of 6CATSPRO commented:

“This is another huge win for the 6CATS International team. Gaining this recognition three years running shows that the solutions we’ve worked so hard to develop really deliver the best level of service that sets us apart from the competition.”

“It’s been an exciting time for us all lately, with the Workwell acquisition earlier this year and a continued increase in demand for our global contractor solutions. We’ve grown faster than we could have imagined in the last year and I’d like to both congratulate and thank the entire 6CATS team for all their hard work and dedication that’s made us an award-winning business.”

Awards, News

Meryl Fabrics® Celebrates TWO Major Industry Award Accolades

Meryl Fabrics®, pioneer in hi-tech sustainable textile manufacture, was presented with two highly coveted Med-Tech Innovation Awards at a prestigious ceremony held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

The Med-Tech Innovation Awards is a celebration of the vital work of the medical device engineering community.

In recognition of the great advances the business has made in bringing to market their landmark textiles with ‘infinite recyclability’, Meryl Fabrics® collected the winner’s trophy for the ‘Med-Tech Innovation Sustainability Award’ and was highly commended in the ‘Materials Innovation Award’.

Peter Broom, Director & Technical Innovator at Meryl Fabrics comments: “We feel extremely honoured and proud to receive such high-profile industry recognition. Meryl Fabrics has come up with a solution to reduce our impact on the environment today, and we are innovating every day to improve what we have. Adopting Meryl Fabrics in large textile use industries will massively reduce the amount of virgin polymer being manufactured and would significantly reduce human environmental impact. In turn this also helps our customers achieve their own internal green targets.”

Re-engineering the present and future of apparel, its mission is to lead a radical change in the textile industry through advanced hydrogen technology, creating 100% recyclable, high-performance fabrics which do not release microplastics, with no water consumption and no use of chemicals.

All Meryl Fabrics® products are treated with a permanent antiviral-effect, antibacterial and anti-fungal technology co-developed alongside their virology partner, HeiQ.

Meryl Fabrics® is dedicated to reducing the negative impact of the textile industry on the environment, providing large industries with the expertise as we drive forwards into the circular economy and complete sustainability.

For more information on Meryl Fabrics, visit https://merylfabrics.com/

Awards, Midlands News, News

Businesses urged to enter prestigious awards

Entries are now open for the most prestigious awards available to UK businesses – and firms in Shropshire are being encouraged to apply for this year’s prize.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are awarded to businesses for outstanding achievement in four categories: International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity.

Businesses across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin were urged to enter the awards at two launch ceremonies attended by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mrs Anna Turner.

She said: “It was great to have so many of the county’s businesses with us for the launch events and I hope many of them will now go on to submit entries.

“The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise were first presented in 1966 and have since been seen as the ultimate seal of approval for businesses.

“Winners get so much more than a trophy and the right to use the logo and fly the flag – they get worldwide recognition that they are a leader in business and an example for others to follow.”

Mandy Thorn MBE DL, chair of the Marches LEP, added: “We have hundreds of fantastic businesses here in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin who are leading the way for others to follow. The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the most prestigious award a business can win and can provide a massive boost to your business profile.

“It doesn’t matter if your business employs two people or 2,000. The awards are judged solely on merit and are a real showcase for the most successful enterprises.”

The two launch events were a breakfast meeting at Origins restaurant at Shrewsbury College followed by lunch at the offices of i2r Packaging Solutions in Telford, which has previously won Queen’s Awards for both innovation and international trade.

Peter Reay from i2r Packaging said: “I was delighted to be able to host the meeting at our new UK headquarters in Telford. Hopefully the event will help to inspire other local companies in the Shropshire region to participate in one of the country’s most sought after awards.”

At the launch events, representatives of interested businesses learned about the application process and had the chance to ask questions as well as hearing from previous award winners.

In Shrewsbury, Tullis Matson from Stallion AI Services Ltd, and Andrew Smith from Derwen College presented their experiences of winning the award with Councillor Lezley Picton, leader of Shropshire Council closing the event.

In Telford guests heard from Sara Williams from Proto Labs Ltd and Peter Reay from hosts i2r Packaging Solutions Ltd, triple and double award winners respectively with Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council leader closing the event.

Applications for the 2022 Queen’s Awards are open until midday on September 6. To be eligible, a company must be based in the UK, have at least two full time UK employees or part-time equivalents, file its company tax returns with HMRC, be a self-contained enterprise that markets its own products or services under its own management and demonstrate strong corporate social responsibility.

Winners receives an invitation to a Royal reception, a special crystal trophy presented by the Lord Lieutenant, the right to fly the award flag at its headquarters and use the logo in its marketing for five years as well as worldwide recognition as a winner.

Full details are available at https://www.qaeshropshire.co.uk/

Awards, News

SentinelOne global culture named to leading workplaces lists

Innovative, global culture awarded for employee engagement, trust, and integrity

SentinelOne, an autonomous cybersecurity platform company, has announced that the company has been recognised for its best-in-class global workplace culture, highlighting its commitment to maintaining a winning culture that’s rewarding and values-driven.

“As we work together to make the world a safer place, we are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive culture for our employees,” said Divya Ghatak, Chief People Officer, SentinelOne. “With flexible work schedules, unlimited time off and 16 weeks of paid parental leave to all parents, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, we are redefining what it means to enable employees to do their life’s best work.”

SentinelOne was named to Inc. Magazine’s 2022 Best Workplaces List, San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 2022 Bay Area Best Places to Work list, Great Place to Work’s UK’s Best Workplaces 2022 list, and Great Place to Work’s UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing 2022 list.

  • Magazine’s 2022 Best Workplaces List features American companies that have excelled in creating exceptional workplaces and company culture. Honourees took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, which included topics such as management effectiveness, perks, fostering employee growth, and overall company culture.
  • The 2022 Bay Area Best Places to Work ​​presented by the San Francisco Business Times and the Silicon Valley Business Journal highlights Bay area companies that have created exceptional workplaces that their employees value highly. Honourees rated highest on values including fun, collaborative culture, solid compensation and benefits offerings.
  • The UK’s Best Workplaces 2022 by Great Place to Work was determined through rigorous evaluations of hundreds of employee survey responses alongside Culture Audit™ submissions from leaders at each company. Great Place to Work then used these data insights to benchmark the effectiveness of companies’ employee value propositions against the culture their employees actually experience.
  • The UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing 2022 by Great Place to Work rewarded companies praised for people’s holistic experiences of wellbeing at work. The list was determined based on a survey asking employees to comment on how their company supports their work-life balance, sense of fulfilment, job satisfaction, psychological safety and financial security.
Awards, News

KOREC Group CEO Shortlisted for Prestigious Entrepreneurial Award

Alan Browne, KOREC Group’s founder and CEO, in the running for the Irish Established Entrepreneur accolade at the 2022 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards.

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is a unique global programme that was established over 30 years ago and now runs in more than 60 countries around the globe. The awards were created to recognise entrepreneurial achievement among individuals and companies that demonstrate vision, leadership and success whilst working to improve life within local communities, countries and the world as a whole. 

Alan’s nomination is for one of just three coveted regional awards up for grabs, alongside Emerging Entrepreneur and International Entrepreneur. Following judging of the finalists the overall winner for Ireland, who will also become a finalist for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year, will be announced in November.

A Fitting Recognition

Alan has been entrepreneurial from an early age. At just 27 years old he started a company in Ireland called PCI with a single employee. He felt that large machines on construction sites could be used far more effectively and accurately if they were equipped with a technology called Machine Control (based on laser measurement) that was still very much at the point of inception.

Alan’s, and that of the KOREC Group, innate ability to spot key business solutions and areas of investment whilst still in their infancy has been transformative, and his vision for the future of the mapping and surveying industry saw the company turnover £110k in its first year. Today, KOREC Group will see an annual turnover of £35m. From the initial days of just two employees, KOREC now employs over a hundred people and is growing all the time.

This growth has resulted in a recent recruitment drive to fill 30 new positions in a range of departments across both the UK and Ireland.

On learning he’d been shortlisted, Alan said: “I’m so delighted to receive this nomination because it’s a truly exciting recognition of what we have achieved at KOREC over the years in what is a demanding, technology-led environment. Our experience has allowed us to build and define our company culture and that means we’ve also created a great workplace, a great team and a world-class ethos.”

A Man on a Mission

Alan has invested a lot of time and effort in developing a culture that is both fun and rewarding, and the KOREC mission is a simple one. Alan works very closely towards this mission in every decision he makes, whilst also ensuring the company continually reflects this vision: 

“KOREC’s mission is to empower you to measure, map and manage the natural and built environment. Combining industry knowledge with intuitive software and world-leading positioning technology that can transform your operations. Bringing certainty to your decision making.”

You can learn more about the awards, KOREC and Alan’s vision, and the technological advancements that have been made to drive the industry forward, here.

5G, News

Basel to bring the best of fibre optics as ECOC Exhibition’s Market Focus and awards open for entries

The event will be held in Basel, Switzerland

19 May 2022 – From 19-21 September 2022, the Swiss city of Basel will host technologists, thought leaders and decision makers, as part of Europe’s largest exhibition for the optical communications industry. Exhibitor booths, face-to-face networking, live ‘Market Focus’ presentations, product demonstrations and an award ceremony will attract thousands of attendees and exhibitors to the city.

“With the continent on the cusp of a next-gen networking boom, ECOC Exhibition is the meeting place and showcase for the latest developments in the optical connectivity industry”, said Emma Harvey, Commercial Director, ECOC.

ECOC Exhibition’s Market Focus, which attracts speakers from across the world, is now open for entries and focuses on five key themes. Topics include fibre access (5G) and next generation 6G/7G systems, intersatellite communication, high speed PON and FTTX solutions, and advanced fibre-based connectors, interfaces and panels. Call for speakers closes Monday 13th June.

Also open for entries are the ECOC Exhibition Industry Awards. Celebrating and recognising technology and product commercialisation and highlighting significant achievements in advancing the business of optical communications, transport, networking, fibre-based products and photonic integration circuits, the awards are open for entries until Monday 13th June.

Previous winners include Ciena, Lightwave Logic, Huawei, and II-VI. Nominations are judged by an independent Awards Committee and the winners announced during the exhibition. For more information and to enter, visit: https://www.ecocexhibition.com/visit/ecoc-exhibition-industry-awards/.

The Product Focus theatre is run in conjunction with Market Focus and features presentations covering the latest innovative products, live demonstrations and technology announcements.

“With billions pumped into fibre rollout plans and investment pledges at an all-time high, the fibre optic industry is leading the charge for continent-wide gigabit connectivity. For those who want their voices heard by the industry – and the advancements of their companies and institutions that are ushering in a new era of optical technology known – ECOC Exhibition offers a platform to amplify their voices and meet with partners, customers and new faces in the industry,” said Emma Harvey.

Visitor registration is open for the event. Visit https://www.ecocexhibition.com/register for more information.

Awards, News

Unispace shortlisted for three Mixology2022 awards

Global workplace creation expert, Unispace, has been shortlisted for three Mixology2022 awards.

Hosted by Mix Interiors, the Mixology Awards celebrate the very best projects, products and people in commercial interior design. Unispace has been shortlisted in three categories for both its client projects and its own workplace designs, which include:

  • Project of the Year – Workplace Interiors, 15,000 to 30,000 sq ft: The firm’s development of Astellas Pharma’s Madrid workplace made the shortlist for this category. The multinational pharmaceutical company reached out to Unispace to develop a new workplace to suit the post-Covid needs of its business. The bespoke workplace was designed to provide a range of agile environments and create a more human-centric environment stepping away from a traditional hierarchical corporate structure.
  • Project of the Year – Workplace Interiors, Sub 5,000 sq ft: Unispace’s own Amsterdam Studio has been shortlisted for this award. The space has been designed to embrace ‘gezellig’, a Dutch term which emphasises open, inviting, and diverse spaces including a Library, Wintergarden, Social Kitchen and Karaoke Booth, all arranged around our dedicated learning and collaboration space: The Hive. The studio has been planned to take best advantage of the canal-side views and is a showcase for progressive local design culture and heritage, with the use of bold textiles, recycled materials, and iconic Dutch furniture selections.
  • Project of the Year – Workplace Interiors, 5,000 to 15,000 sq ft: The experts new Zurich studio wraps up the triple shortlist for Unispace. The studio was developed with people in mind. An experiential design has delivered a sense of calm and serenity that is influenced by its natural surroundings with material selection as natural as it is minimal, with a bias towards refined detailing. As a major hub in the EMEA portfolio, the studio design focuses on open, flexible spaces that foster connectivity, collaboration, innovation and wellbeing. The project was also delivered sustainably and was accredited with the highest possible LEED rating (Platinum).

Winners of the awards will be announced in June.

Lawrence Mohiuddine, CEO EMEA at Unispace, commented:

“We are delighted to have been shortlisted for not one, but three Mixology2022 awards, especially following our exciting with for Workplace Interiors, Project of the Year, 5,000 and to 15,000 sq ft last year with Boston Scientific and their remarkable workplace in Clonmel.”

“This prestigious accolade celebrates the best in the world of workplace interior design and to be shortlisted for not only the projects we deliver for our clients, but also our own office designs is an honour.”