Barking and Dagenham Business Awards now open to applicants

The Barking and Dagenham Business Awards launched today, opening the doors to entrants from across the borough eager to showcase their professional prowess.

Sanofi chief Mark Bass officially declared the awards open to a room full of past winners and representatives from some of the boroughs biggest brands at the Barking Enterprise Centre in Cambridge Road, Barking.

Now in its sixth year, the annual event will once again scour the length and breadth of the community to name its business and business person of the year, among a multitude of other categories later this summer.

“These awards are really valuable in the community. We need to use this as an opportunity to introduce more small businesses into the borough,” said Mark Kass, head of Barking Enterprise Centre.

The awards, which comprise nine different categories, are free to enter for all local businesses. All applicants will be reviewed by a panel of judges.

Previous winners and social enterprise, Future Molds Communities (FMC), said winning two awards last year was just the start. Managing director Dawn Quye said: “Since winning it has been unbelievably busy. It has got us to the point where we need to start recruiting staff and expanding.”

Paul Bishop, business relationship manager for Barking and Dagenham said he is looking forward to a broad range of entries to this year’s awards.

“We know that there are many great new and established businesses in the Borough and these awards are their chance to shine,” he added.

Sponsors of the awards for 2013 include Sanofi, Businesseast, West and Coe, Fix Auto Dagenham, Bouygues Development, Neilcott Construction, Barking and Dagenham College, Barking and Dagenham Chamber of Commerce and media partner the Barking and Dagenham Post.

• Visit bdbawards.com or facebook.com/bdbAwards to find out more about how to apply to this years competition.