I’ve always impressed by the array of small and medium sized businesses carrying the mantle of Essex entrepreneurialism. Over the past year I’ve visited firms which print, decorate, house-build, farm, brew, sell cheese, water plants and develop futuristic car technology. This is a place where ingenuity blooms and ideas become reality. Now, for the first time, the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce is recognising the remarkable work that these companies do by instituting the Brentwood Business Awards.
This is an excellent thing to do - because there is much to celebrate. I’ve always felt that Essex has a particular can-do attitude, one that prompts people to act on their inspiration and not be put off by the daunting task of setting up a business and making it work. I’ve also met businesses who have diversified into all manner of things in order to keep things running when they hit a bump in the road or have reached out to new markets in the Far East.
We’re fortunate in this constituency to have not only mainstream High Street stores and supermarkets but also many independent shops in our villages and the larger shopping areas in Brentwood, Ongar, Ingatestone and Shenfield. But business is not limited to our high streets. Sole traders can work from home, tradesmen have their vans and workshops, and there are countless small businesses flourishing on the various industrial parks, estates and former farmyards throughout the Borough.
So Brentwood Chamber of Commerce intends to celebrate the achievements of all kinds of business in the Brentwood Business Awards. Nominations are open now for the awards which will recognise the best of local companies, charities, employees and apprentices at a black-tie dinner in November. It’s not the time to be a shy, retiring flower – you can nominate yourself, your organisation or your staff. The only rule is the business must be based in, or doing business in, the Borough of Brentwood.
You can make your nomination here: http://brentwoodchambers.co.uk/business-awards/ and the deadline for entries is the 30th June. And as ever, if you work in or know of any interesting businesses - I’d love to visit, please get in touch.