Lancashire firms urged not to miss this year’s BIBAs deadline

The deadline for the Be Inspired Business Awards – the BIBAs – is just three days away.

Firms across the county are urged not to miss out in the hunt for glory.

Many past winners have seen the tangible benefits that picking up a BIBAs trophy can bring.

The deadline for the BIBAs closes at 5pm on Friday with businesses able to enter 18 prize categories covering businesses large and small and across a range of sectors.

Babs Murphy, chief executive of organisers the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said the organisation had seen a sharp increase in applications at the deadline looms.

She said: “The BIBAs has once again proved to be hugely popular among businesses in all four corners of Lancashire.

“The introduction of initiative such as the BIBAs Academy, a programme of masterclass sessions, networking opportunities and tailored mentoring open to our winners, and our charitable arm, the BIBAs Foundation, has only heightened the demand to lift one of our trophies.

“My plea to anyone considering entering this year’s awards would be, give yourself time to do yourself and your business justice – do not leave it until the last minute.”

In 2014, more than 1,200 businesses entered the awards .

Ms Murphy said all applications would now be checked and scored against a criteria before entrants are put forward for the first round of interviews which get under way in a month’s time.

The judging panel for the Manufacturer of the Year will meet at the Chamber’s Fylde office in Blackpool on May 11 to begin a 10-day programme which will produce between six and eight finalists for each category.

From June 8, the judging panels will then go “on tour” for a second round of judging which will take place at the finalists’ business premises.

The awards, which will be presented in September, has secured a glittering line-up of sponsors for this year including headline sponsor global creative agency Saatchi and Saatchi.