Deadline looms on opportunity to enter Ballymena Business Excellence Awards

by Q Radio Reporters

Local businesses have just over a week to get their entries in for this year’s Ballymena Business Excellence Awards.

The 2017 awards were launched at a recent reception in The Braid.

This is the 15^th year of the awards, organised annually by Ballymena Borough Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Entries for this year’s awards close on Wednesday 16 August, and Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Paul Reid, encouraged all businesses to get involved ahead of the deadline.

The Mayor said: “Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is the principal sponsor of the prestigious Ballymena Business Excellence Awards.

“These awards continue to go from strength to strength and I commend everybody involved in the organisation of the stellar event.

“We have so much to be proud of in Mid and East Antrim and we continue to punch well above our weight when it comes to business.

“We have so many talented people within our business community and these awards are recognition of their unrelenting efforts and the huge contribution they make to our Borough.

“Entries close on 16 August and I would strongly encourage anybody who hasn’t already done so to get their entry submitted now.

“The awards celebrate the talent, entrepreneurship and ambition of our local business leaders and I wish all the entrants well ahead of this year’s event.”

Chamber President Ronan McCann added: “I would like to thank Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for agreeing to be principal sponsor again this year and I assure you that the Chamber will do everything to make this year’s awards the most successful yet.

“I would like to thank all the businesses who have sponsored awards or taken an advertisement in the awards brochure – without your support there would be no awards.

“The judging this year will again be carried out by Insight Mystery Shopping – it is entirely independent of Chamber thereby ensuring the integrity of the awards.

“The awards brochure has been widely circulated throughout the Ballymena area. If you have not yet received a brochure, please visit www.ballymenachamber.co.uk where you can view the brochure and download an entry form.

“There are 21 awards this year so there is a category to suit everyone – large or small businesses, retail, hospitality or industrial and individual awards as well.

“We have made a change to the entry process this year. Any business that has won a category for three successive years will be unable to enter that category for one year. They are still welcome to enter other categories. We feel that this will keep the awards fresh and encourage other businesses to enter.”

The gala awards evening this year takes place on Thursday 19 October in Tullyglass House Hotel. This is now a major event in the Ballymena business and social calendar, so put the date in your diary now.

Last year almost 450 guests attended and this year will be another great evening.

If you have any queries, or to book your tickets for the gala evening, please contact Chris Wales atoffice@ballymenachamber.co.uk or by telephone 07876 758797.