Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 100th birthday by sponsoring the Best Long-standing Business category at this year’s Dorset Echo Industry Awards.

The chamber has supported the industry awards since its launch in 2016, and sponsored the Best Business Development or Innovative Idea category last year.

Andrew Knowles, President of WPCC said: “I recently met Sadie Osborne, winner of the award sponsored by WPCC in 2017. She was still excited at having won. It was her first formal recognition of being successful in business and it clearly made a deep impression on her. The role of the chamber is to support local businesses, like Sadie's, and sponsoring competitions is a great way for us to show this support.”

To mark 100 years of the chamber, it has decided to sponsor the best long-standing business category.

Mr Knowles added: “This is the 100th year of the chamber, so we want to show support for firms that served local people well for many years. That said, we're not putting a firm definition on what we mean by 'long-standing'. The winner is likely to have been around for a few years at least, but it could be a firm that's weathered a major challenge, or that's led the way among its peers for much of its life, even if it's nowhere near 100 years old. After all, many of today's businesses are internet based and the digital technology is still relatively new. I'm intrigued to see what firms will be nominated for the category we're sponsoring.”

The Dorset Echo Industry Awards aim to celebrate the superb section of industry in our area and to highlight the many companies, across myriad sectors, which make such a huge contribution to our economy.

As well as this, the awards brings together the best of businesses in the DT postcode sector, recognising and showcasing their achievements.

Businesses are welcome to nominate themselves for an award. Or, anyone outside a business interested in its impact on the wider community and local economy can enter a nomination in any of the categories.

The winners of each category will receive £250 of advertising in the Dorset Echo or on dorsetecho.co.uk and will also be featured in the category winners’ coverage in the Dorset Echo and online at dorsetecho.co.uk

CATEGORIES

-Best overall retailer

-Best customer service provider (Sponsored by the Dorset Echo)

-Best social media marketing (Sponsored by Sherrens)

-Best business development or innovative idea

-Best new business (opened in the last two years) (Sponsored by Dream Doors)

-Best contribution to local tourism

-Best product or service

-Best community engagement business

-Best apprenticeship employer (sponsored by Weymouth College)

-Best dining provider (sponsored by Dorset Training Academy)

-Best woman in business (Sponsored by Successful Women In Business)

-Best long-standing business (sponsored by WPCC)

How to enter

Online - Enter online at dorsetecho.co.uk/

Closing date for nominations is May 9, 2018.

Usual Newsquest competition terms and conditions will apply.

please visit dorsetecho.co.uk/competitionterms for full details.