Liverpool city region businesses are backing a call by the Lord Lieutenant for Merseyside to stop being “modest” and apply for the King’s Award for Enterprise. Tony McDonough reports

A new campaign launched by the Lord Lieutenant for Merseyside to encourage more local firms to apply for the King’s Award for Enterprise has received backing from businesses.

In early July LBN reported that Mark Blundell, the King’s representative in Merseyside, was starting a push to get more local businesses applying. The volume of applications in recent years had been “disappointing” he said.

And at a special event at the Royal Liver Building, city region business leaders heard from Mr Blundell, a panel of deputy lieutenants, current and past award recipients and King’s Award officers, about the benefits of the King’s Award.

Formerly known as the Queen’s Awards until the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, the awards recognise the outstanding achievements of UK businesses. A KAE offers significant prestige, particularly for exporters.

Winning firms are entitled and encouraged to make full use of this distinctive award by featuring the Kings Emblem on social media, their stationery, packaging, vehicles and website for a period of five years.

The KAE recognises the outstanding achievements of UK businesses across four operating categories:

• International Trade
• Innovation
• Sustainable Development
• Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility

Mr Blundell said: “Companies from across Merseyside have won awards in the past and do so every year, but we need to promote this opportunity more deeply, because a King’s Award for Enterprise is extremely valuable.

“There’s a rich talent base here that deserves this royal recognition. Whichever category, it says that you are one of the leading companies in your field in the UK.”

Michael Gould, managing director at Richardsons Healthcare in Bootle, which won a Queen’s Award for international trade in 2019, said the award had transformed his business by helping to double turnover and the number of export destinations.

He explained: “Winning the award gave us a huge boost in profile enhancing our reputation and relevance within a much bigger peer group.

“It demonstrated that we were a very serious exporter, gave us a competitive advantage, boosted employee morale and productivity and importantly it gave a small company like mine legitimacy.”

And John Roberts, director at family business Roberts Recycling in Aigburth which won an award for international trade in 2019 and 2021, added: “This is a really powerful symbol.

“It helps to set us apart and underlines the fact that we are doing something commendable on an international level. Having this royal seal of approval definitely makes a difference working overseas and helps build lasting trust.”

The awards are open to all UK businesses, large and small, provided they have at least two years’ trading history and employ at least two people or part-time equivalents. Click here to apply or for more information.

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Max Steinberg, a Deputy Lieutenant and the former chief executive of Liverpool Vision, the city’s economic development agency, said the drive was on to prove that the region is more than a famous cultural capital.

He added: “This region is also a huge commercial centre, with businesses that innovate, that have fantastic products, that are successful overseas and who are working to help others and there is top level recognition for them waiting which everyone will benefit from.”