Last Call For British Small Business Champions

23rd March 2008

With the closing date of Friday 28 March 2008, businesses wishing to enter the British Small Business Champions (BSBC) 2008 need to get their forms filled and posted. Full details are available at www.fsb.org.uk/bsbc, where entry forms can be downloaded or, if businesses would prefer information and entry forms sent to them they should contact Judith Francis on 0207 592 8120 or e-mail her at judith.francis[AT]fsb.org.uk.

The British Small Business Awards, launched by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in 2002, are the only national awards exclusively for small businesses.

To be eligible for the area and national awards businesses must have been trading for five years and employ not more than fifty people. Sole traders are eligible.

This year there are two additional categories - Most Promising New Business, for firms which were started after November 2006 and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, for individuals aged 21 and under at the time of entering. Entries to these two categories will go straight to national judging.

John Emmins, who has headed BSBC on behalf of the FSB since the inception of the awards said:
"the aims of BSBC remain as they always have been:- to celebrate and gain recognition for the great achievements of this country's small businesses. BSBC provides a superb showcase of the best of the talent, flair and determination shown by our small businesses and the huge contribution that they make to the UK's economy.

As well as the pride, prestige and profile-raising of winning there are cash prizes for the winners to spend in a way that will benefit their businesses, with £1,000 for each of the six area champions, the Young Entrepreneur and the Most Promising New Business.
The overall Champion's prize will include ten thousand pounds.

There will be a celebratory awards dinner in each of the six UK BSBC areas , to which the area finalists will be invited, and splendid trophies for the winners to keep. They will also be provided with the artwork showing their title to use on their business stationery and promotional materials.

BSBC 2008 culminates in the national final awards evening to be held at Claridges on 21 November, when the National Champion, the Young Entrepreneur of the Year and the Most Promising New Business will be announced.

BSBC is free to enter, and is not exclusive to FSB members.