Awards set for official launch

Shropshire Chamber of Commerce will be officially launching its 2022 business awards and conference at an event in Shrewsbury next month.

The Chamber cancelled this year’s awards due to ongoing uncertainties caused by the pandemic.

Instead it has concentrated on expanding it into a ‘bigger than ever’ two-day celebration for the summer of 2022 with new categories including a ‘Covid response award’ and fresh categories for wellbeing in the workplace, and sustainability.

There will be a Shropshire Chamber Showcase and Conference at the Mercure Telford Centre Hotel on June 8, followed by the Shropshire Chamber Business Awards at Telford International Centre on June 10. 

The plans will be officially unveiled to the business community at an early evening launch event at Salop Leisure in Shrewsbury at 5.30pm on Thursday, January 27.

“The Shropshire Chamber Business Awards are established among the largest events of their kind in the country, and we want to ensure we do them justice,” said chief executive Richard Sheehan.

“Alongside our traditional categories like company of the year, best new business and best small business, we will be introducing new categories which reflect the challenges Shropshire businesses have faced. And our conference will give us the chance to bring top-level speakers to the county, to tackle the issues that matter to our local business community.”

A range of exhibition and sponsorship packages are available, including joint packages covering both the conference and awards celebration.

Launched in 2001, the Shropshire Chamber Business Awards have attracted audiences of up to 900 people for the black-tie celebration, earning them a reputation as the local business ‘Oscars’.

Pictured: Shropshire Chamber chief executive Richard Sheehan