THE biggest ever campaign to recognise the quality, variety and entrepreneurship of Fenland businesses was unveiled this week. It came at the launch of the Fenland Enterprise Business Awards which will conclude later this year with a gala dinner and cere

THE biggest ever campaign to recognise the quality, variety and entrepreneurship of Fenland businesses was unveiled this week.

It came at the launch of the Fenland Enterprise Business Awards which will conclude later this year with a gala dinner and ceremony to highlight the very best that the district has to offer.

The awards are being promoted by the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard in association with Business Link, Fenland District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and both Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and Fenland Chamber of Commerce.

Up to 11 different categories are proposed for the awards focusing on the achievements of both small and medium sized business but will also include categories for innovation, employee of the year, training and development, new businesses, environment and community impact.

There is also a category for Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Editor John Elworthy unveiled the awards at a 'better regulation, better business' breakfast seminar at the Boathouse, Wisbech.

"We first sat down with our partners - including chamber members, council officials and Business Link- two years ago to discuss these awards," said Mr Elworthy. "Although some may think the economy is not ideally suited to launching these awards at this time, we actually believe the opposite. There's never been a better time to show the resilience and determination of Fenland businesses and we're confident the business world will embrace these awards."

He said the enterprise awards came with a "substantial pedigree" of achievement by the newspapers' parent company, Archant, which was just celebrating the 20th anniversary of the launch of business awards promoted by its sister title, The Eastern Daily Press.

The Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard were also part of Archant Herts and Cambs which had a formidable record in staging similar awards both in Huntingdonshire and in Hertfordshire, he said.

A special FEBA micro site had been set up on the newspapers' websites and in coming weeks there would be many more announcements both of sponsors and details of how to enter individual categories.

Announcement of the awards was warmly welcomed by many attending the business breakfast which also heard keynote speeches from Richard Cassidy, corporate director of Fenland District Council, on the support they offered for local business and the council's vision for Fenland.

Chief Inspector Russell Waterston of Cambridgeshire Police gave an update on crime prevention support for businesses, and Simon Maybury of ACAS, offered guidance on new discipline and grievance procedures just introduced by the Government.