The winners of the 2021 Queen’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced today (Thursday), celebrating the achievements of UK businesses – including 2 Isle of Wight firms – following an incredibly challenging year.
This year, 205 businesses representing every part of the United Kingdom and a diverse range of sectors have been recognised by Her Majesty The Queen as among the best in the country.
The focus of this year’s awards is on Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility, an especially important theme given the challenges that have been faced through the pandemic, with businesses playing a valuable role in their local communities.
On the Isle of Wight, IFPL and Wight Shipyard Co. have been named as recipients of a Queen’s Award.
IFPL, based in Calbourne, has been recognised in the Innovation category for outstanding performance improvements over the past 2 years, whilst East Cowes-based Wight Shipyard is said to have had outstanding growth over the past 3 years in International Trade.
Speaking at about The Queen’s Award for International Trade, Peter Morton, Chief Executive of the Wight Shipyard Company, has said:
“We are delighted to receive this recognition. The overarching ambition was always to see a revival in British shipbuilding to compete on an international stage. To do so we understood and drove the need for efficiencies whilst nurturing a completely new generation of shipbuilders in order to produce world beating products for both the domestic and international markets.
“Keeping a steady stream of both international and domestic orders has enabled us to grow and the Queen’s Award for International Trade is a significant recognition that will open doors around the world. It is testament and endorsement to everyone who works at the Wight Shipyard Company and for Sir Charles who has been a committed supporter of British shipbuilding and enterprise.”
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Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said:
“The past year has been a tough time for many businesses across the UK, which is why it is more important than ever to celebrate the achievements of our wealth creators and recognise the contributions they make to our communities.
“In the last 12 months, British businesses showed the entrepreneurial spirit that this country is renowned for, continuing to drive social mobility, find new markets to export to and produce innovative products and services.
“I congratulate this year’s winners and I wish every business that applied for an award this year every success in the future as we build back better from the pandemic.”
The awards were created following the recommendation of a committee chaired by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh in 1965. The first awards, originally known as the Queen’s Awards to Industry, were made the following year.
Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants will be presenting the Awards to businesses locally throughout the year. Locally, Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon will visit both IFPL and Wight Shipyard.
