The Red Rose Awards, Lancashire’s favourite business awards ceremony, has extended its 2021 programme of events and will return with a new look, new categories and new trophies on November 25, 2021.
With the introduction of the third national lockdown, the awards organisers have decided to expand the calendar, moving the event from its revised date in late June to the end of November, giving businesses more time to put forward nominations while ensuring that the event can be held in person.
Businesses now have until August 20 to enter. The finalists will be announced on September 10, and they will then be given the opportunity to put their best case to the judges on September 22 and 23.
Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View magazine and founder and organiser of the awards, said: “The Red Rose Awards has been an unmissable date in the Lancashire business calendar for more than a decade - it’s a unique opportunity to connect the community, an evening where big and small, new and old, traditional and emerging businesses can all celebrate together.
“Although we have hosted a comprehensive and well-received programme of events online through the pandemic so far, we felt that these awards are something that can only be fully experienced in person, and by postponing until November we hope we are able to host the kind of all-out celebration that this county deserves.”
This was already set to be a special event in the history of the awards, as it marks the introduction of a new look, complete with all-new trophies crafted by Lancashire engineers.
The awards will also feature a number of new categories to better reflect the county’s evolving business landscape. The new additions include the Go Green Award, Made in Lancashire Award and Scale Up Business Award, as well as specific categories for professional services, marketing agencies and those working within the built environment sector. There will also be a special award recognising those that have gone above and beyond in tackling Covid-19 and supporting those the pandemic has affected.
The awards will raise money for a new charity partner, the Community Foundation for Lancashire, which has led numerous projects to support the county throughout the pandemic.
With all that is changing about the awards, the organisers are delighted that the awards will return to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens and that both Barclays and Forbes Solicitors will return as headline sponsors.
Andrea Stamp, marketing and business development director, Forbes Solicitors, said: “Being in the Winter Gardens and giving the businesses shortlisted an opportunity to showcase and celebrate their success is incredibly important.
“Moving the date to November gives the Awards the best chance of this happening. It also gives us an amazing night to look forward to when the Lancashire business community can celebrate together again.”
John Stanworth, head of Lancashire and Cumbria, Barclays Corporate Banking, said: “After an incredibly challenging 12 months for this great county, it is really important we continue to recognise and celebrate the achievements of Lancashire businesses.
“Barclays is proud to be a long-standing supporter of the Red Rose Awards and I am really looking forward to hearing about the real success stories, which I hope will energise and inspire others in our business community to do great things in 2021 and beyond, as we start the road to economic recovery.”
It is expected that the Red Rose Awards 2022 will be staged in June, and the Red Rose Awards 2023 will return to its traditional March date.
The headline sponsors for Red Rose Awards 2021 are Forbes Solicitors and Barclays.
The awards are also sponsored by Cube Thinking, Harrison Drury Solicitors, Porsche Centre Bolton and Two Zero. The charity partner is Community Foundation for Lancashire.