Ashbourne Insurance sponsor Inspiring Herts Awards 2022, ‘Family Business of the Year’ for 4th Year

The Inspiring Hertfordshire Awards (IHA), known locally as ‘the Oscars of Herts’ launched at Hatfield House at an evening reception and presentation on Thursday 27th January 2022.

Over 100 guests, together with Herts Chamber CEO, Briege Leahy and Ashbourne co-directors Peter and Sarah Smits met with sponsors, past year winners and business representatives who attended to learn about the benefits of entering business awards.

Businesses, charitable organisations, entrepreneurs and other organisations can now enter the IHA awards and the deadline is 11th March 2022. The awards are free to enter for both members and non-members of the Herts Chamber and there is no limit on how many categories a business can enter but they must be based in the county. There are nineteen categories available to enter, and two Special Recognition Awards chosen by the Chamber and the Headline Sponsors: SA Law and Viatris.

Ashbourne Insurance is a third generation family-business and have an impressive track record entering and winning awards over the past ten years. For the fourth year they are sponsoring the ‘Family Business of the Year’ category and hope to inspire other family-run businesses to pursue the opportunity of showcasing their expertise to become finalists and winning. Previous winners include Dobsons Home, MCP Property Services and Gatwards of Hitchin.

Application forms are available on the Herts Chamber website and a Top Tips video featuring Ashbourne’s Finance Director (and award judge), Sarah Smits can be viewed here: Inspiring Herts – Categories and entering — Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce (hertschamber.com).

Photo caption (L to R): At the Awards Launch 2022, Peter Smits, Managing Director Ashbourne Insurance, Briege Leahy CEO Herts Chamber & Sarah Smits Finance Director Ashbourne Insurance

Peter Smits, Managing Director said: “Ashbourne have been sponsoring the Family Business of the Year category of the Inspiring Herts Awards since the category was launched. As a winner of national family business awards, we fully appreciate the benefits of entering awards and want to encourage others to enter, celebrate their hard work and success particularly over the course of the past year when we all worked through the pandemic challenges. Hertfordshire is blessed with numerous family-run businesses and we would encourage everyone to enter. The award entry process provides an excellent opportunity to take an objective view of your business and engage staff, stakeholders, suppliers, trusted advisors, and customers in the process. Winning is absolutely fantastic but taking part in the process is of equal importance. Best wishes to everyone who takes the opportunity to enter. We look forward to reading everyone’s stories.”

This award recognises a Family Business who uses its unique core values to aid growth, demonstrate best practice, overcome challenges, and provide business excellence. This Category is open to an independent family-owned business (A family member must own a majority share of the business) which has two or more employees from the same family working within it (in any position). To enter this award the Family business must have been trading for 18 months irrespective of size or sector.

The judges will be looking for:

How the Family Business encompasses its core family values
The challenges the business has faced and overcome
The Family business’s greatest achievements over the last 12 months
The businesses plan and objectives over the next three years
How the Family business makes itself stand out from the crowd