Without a shadow of doubt, our business community is facing its greatest challenge.

As lockdown begins to ease, businesses will be looking forward to re-opening and to putting in place all relevant measures to make it safe for staff and customers.

However there have seen a commendable number of firms who, even before the coronavirus pandemic, take their responsibility seriously to the wider community.

We have heard during the lockdown of companies giving up time, offering community support and in some cases even switching production to make sanitisers, masks or vital PPE equipment for front line workers.

Businesses that reach out to the community and lend support and encouragement – and often practical aid – are vital.

And we want to recognise them, however small they might consider their efforts to have been, in our 2020 Ely Standard Business Awards.

Our annual celebration of the East Cambs business community may be slightly later this year than usual for obvious reasons but that means even more time to prepare to enter and to join us on the night.

Your company can be recognised this year and it is easy to enter and to be part of this annual celebration of all that’s best about our local businesses

Not all sponsorships have been taken up for this year’s awards and that is understandable.

But if you are a pioneer in corporate social responsibility and want to demonstrate that experience and past performance please do get in touch.

You can email joe.quinn@archant.co.uk for details.

If you want to enter this year, please do get your entries in soon.

We know it is a difficult time, we know you may feel 2020 ‘isn’t the right time’ but we believe this year, possibly even more than any other year, is when those who have shown genuine support for their community need recognition.

About the Awards:

This year we have the following categories available to enter:

• New Business of the Year

• Small Medium Enterprises of the Year

• Family Business of the Year

• Supporting Young People Award

• Commercial Business in The Community

• The Customer Service Award

• Business Growth Award

• Business Person of the Year

• Employer of the Year

• The Innovation Award

Criteria for each of the categories can be found on the awards website.

The Judges’ Award & The Business of the Year Award - These awards are not directly entered but chosen by the judges & will be announced on the night.

Entry deadline for the 2020 awards is July 3 2020 at 5pm. All entries can be made through the awards website www.elybusinessawards.co.uk/