2016 Awards entry deadline extended!

Family businesses and their leaders now have an extra week, so entries can be made up until midnight on Monday 25th July 2016, free and via the dedicated online entry platform, accessed from the website Details about all of this year’s ten categories and guidance on what the judges are looking for are available on the website too.

Now in their seventh year, the not-for-profit Midlands Family Business Awards are organised by third generation family business The Wilson Organisation. Its MD Charlotte Perkins explains:

“We are really excited by the number and quality of entries already made to this year’s Awards. This is a busy time for all Midlands businesses, so we hope the extra seven days will help family firms and their leaders get involved in this year’s Awards, and finalise the categories they want to enter to recognise their achievements this year.”

Alongside established awards are some new categories for 2016, including the ‘Best use of Digital’ and ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’.

“Entries can be made in up to three award categories,” Charlotte explains, “whether one of the categories new for 2016, or established awards such as Manufacturing Excellence and Director of the Year awards, or even the headline Family Business of the Year award. We know it’s a pretty tough decision for family firms to identify the categories they would like to enter, so hope the extra time will make that process a little bit easier. Once they decide, our new online entry platform makes the process even quicker than in previous years.”

Also new for 2016 is the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Streets Accountants, which will involve all shortlisted finalists in the Awards’ ten judged categories automatically entering into the People’s Choice Award and facing the public vote to find the overall Winner and Highly Commended businesses.

Judging of the shortlisted finalists in each of the ten categories will take place throughout September, and all winners will be unveiled at the prestigious Awards Dinner which this year is at Birmingham’s Great Hall on Thursday 17th November 2016.

Supporters of the 2016 Awards’ include longstanding sponsors PwC, Barclays, Bedrock Tax, RSA and Royal London, alongside new face Bonnington Plastics, a family business and previous Award winner, which is this year’s Awards’ headline sponsor.

The full line-up of categories for 2016 is:

• Family Business of the Year – sponsored by Bonnington Plastics
• Best Small Family Business – sponsored by Bedrock Tax
• Director of the Year – sponsored by RSA
• Employer of the Year – sponsored by Royal London
• Fastest Growing Family Business – sponsored by PwC
• Manufacturing Excellence
• Service Excellence.

Including three all-new categories added for 2016:

• Entrepreneur of the Year – sponsored by Barclays
• Best Use of Digital
• Corporate Social Responsibility

For updates, follow @FamilyBizAwards on Twitter and for help choosing a category and how to enter, contact: Wilsons’ Ped Briggs: [email protected]or on 0115 942 7506.

Since their launch in 2010, the Awards have raised over £20,000 for charities supporting young people and enterprise.

For more information about the Awards’ founder The Wilson Organisation, visit: www.wilorg.com, or Tel: 0115 942 0111.