Development consultant Keith Bates will be at Buckingham Palace today to celebrate winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion which rewards individuals who have played an outstanding and significant role in promoting the growth of business enterprise, entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in others.
Bristol-based Mr Bates is among the South West’s most enterprising individuals and businesses attending an evening reception at the palace as winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2011.
The 12 regional winners, who have already received their awards, will have the opportunity to meet the Queen and other members of the royal family.
Mr Bates, who is seen as a national champion of self employment through work at the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, has spent 20 years improving employment opportunities for the disadvantaged through paid consultancy and voluntary work.
His work with young people has included developing business, educational and training tools that can be easily understood. He has also helped in the formation of a number of co-operatives run by people with learning disabilities.
Mr Bates said: “I am delighted to have received this award which gives recognition to the value and importance of using enterprise to support people with disabilities into work. It is the result of many years work although this cannot happen in isolation and has required the support, time and the dedication of a wide range of people in order for change to happen. This award will go a long way to help us continue with that work.”
Business Secretary Vince Cable, who will speak at tonight's event, added: “It’s wonderful to see that even with a difficult economic climate, individuals such as Keith continue to find enterprising ways of working and helping others to establish their businesses.
“The individuals receiving awards today are an inspiration and I congratulate them on their hard work and their achievement. The opportunity for them to join the business winners and to go to the Palace to celebrate their hard work is well deserved and I hope they have a wonderful time.
“It’s important we create the right conditions for Britain’s new and up-and-coming entrepreneurs to succeed and I strongly encourage businesses to start thinking about nominations for next year.”
Anyone who has helped individuals to develop entrepreneurial approaches and achievements with a view to starting or building a business can be nominated for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. These activities can be at both at national or local level.
Other award winners from Bristol were SecurEnvoy, which received its first Queen’s Award for Innovation. The company specialises in two-factor authentication systems which protect sensitive data on all mobile devices and applications.
SecurEnvoy co-founder Steve Watts said: “It’s such a great honour to receive this award – to be recognised for our innovation is something we are extremely proud of. Having such a recognisable accolade is hugely beneficial to SecurEnvoy, particularly as we enter new overseas markets.
“I really would recommend that other businesses enter the awards, as winning can make a real difference to an organisation’s reputation. Although it’s me and my business partner, Andy Kemshall, making the trip to Buckingham Palace, this honour is for everyone involved in the company – we really couldn’t do it without them.”
Blagdon-based Yeo Valley Farms received its third Queen’s Award – this time for Sustainable Development.
Managing director Tim Mead said: “Winning just one Queen’s Award was a huge honour, but to have been recognised for a third time, for sustainable development, is something we are immensely proud of and is a great way to celebrate our 50th year.
“We have grown from a small producer into a significant player in the dairy market, but our size has not diminished our commitment to sustainable farming and our renewable energy project is the latest development to help reduce our impact on the environment.”
