Lord Lieutenant of Rutland aims to promote county's businesses at Queen's Award for Enterprise event at Oakham Castle

The Lord Lieutenant of Rutland hosted an event at Oakham Castle to promote and celebrate the county’s businesses.

Dr Sarah Furness welcomed invited guests to the event on Tuesday last week to promote the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and to launch a new Rutland Chamber of Commerce.

Attending were people from a variety of differently sized businesses, including small firms Baby Nails and Multum Gin Parvo, and larger firms such as Hanson’s Cement and Lands’ End.

Speaking at the event Dr Furness said the county was “small but proud” with a strong sense of identity and a fabulous array of businesses.

She also spoke of the benefits of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise - awards open to all British firms that pay taxes and have more than two full-time employees.

“Winning a Queen’s Award significantly raises a business’s profile,” said Dr Furness.

“It means that successful organisations may fly the Queen’s Award flag at their premises and use the logo on all marketing material. It makes a huge difference.”

Last year, The Woolroom, based in Oakham, was the county’s first Queen’s Award for Enterprise winner for international trade and Dr Furness is keen that similarly worthy businesses will follow suit.

Launching the Rutland Chamber of Commerce, Dr Furness said it would help businesses to “work together to support each other”.

“Because we are a small county it is particularly important that there is a body which can advocate specifically for all Rutland business,” she added.

At the event, there was a speech by Sir John Peace, chairman of Midlands Engine, a partnership of organisations to push for growth in the region. He is former chairman of Burberry and of Standard Chartered, and current Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire.

Businesses gathered also learned more about the Armed Forces Covenant and the Employer Recognition Scheme for businesses which sign it.