With the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024 drawing nearer, nominations are now flowing in. Celebrating the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, this year’s highly-anticipated awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 3rd October, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in the Derek Randall Suite. Here are 5 top tips for a successful entry:

1. Make your nomination compelling.
2. Less is more – as often judges have to read a large number of nomination forms, no one wants to read “waffle” or an excessive use of jargon in an award entry, so be concise and specific with what you write.
3. Use facts, statistics and key examples that support why a project, person or business should win an award, as they will make any statement you make much stronger.
4. Make sure to read the criteria carefully to be sure that your nomination does in fact fit what is being looked for. Why not reflect on last year’s winners to get an idea of whether your nomination reflects a certain category’s requirements.
5. Finally, proofread your nomination and submit it in plenty of time!

Sponsors of the awards have also contributed their advice, with Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, sponsor of the Responsible Business award, sharing: “First up, tell us judges a story. “We don’t need to hear about what you do, your history and inside leg measurements. Set the scene by all means but grab our attention early on by explaining the problem or challenge as it stood and how you tackled it and crucially…why? How did you change things? What does it mean for the user/stakeholder. Remember, nobody wants a drill…they want a home in the wall. Show us the results.” Offering advice to those entering Mather Jamie’s sponsored category, Architects of the Year, Amy Biddell, director, said: “For architects looking to submit an application, we will be looking for them to demonstrate an understanding of planning regulations so that development meets approval. Sustainability and biodiversity are hot keywords within the industry, so we will be looking for entries to showcase an innovative approach to sustainable working practices, which meet development briefs. “Other points to consider include; design ethos that shows sympathy to local aesthetics, consideration for ecology/environment, ease of construction without too many modifications to design or materials, demonstrate client satisfaction, schemes that also benefit the local community.” Meanwhile, Ed Tripp, consultancy director at EMEC, which is backing Contractor of the Year, said: “Our top advice for any contractors looking to submit an application is to showcase a nature/ecology first approach to their development schemes. We firmly understand the need for new developments in order to drive the economy forward, but we will be looking for contractors who are showcasing an innovative approach to embracing sustainability. Our role as the consultant ecologist is as much about protecting habitats as it is about offering added value advice to the developer so that the communities they create, incorporate diversity.” William Crooks, Managing Director of Cawarden, sponsor of Excellence in Design, said: “For those contemplating a nomination, our foremost advice is to embrace boldness and innovation. Demonstrate how your project pioneers new frontiers and positively impacts the environment, people, or communities. We eagerly anticipate reviewing the exceptional submissions and paying tribute to the visionaries propelling design excellence in the East Midlands.” Sponsoring Deal of the Year, Tutum Consulting’s director, Simon Prescott shared: “To create a compelling nomination, focus on what sets your deal apart. Highlight the unique impact and innovative aspects of the project, detailing how it pushed boundaries and achieved significant results. Here are some key elements to emphasise:

1. Clear Objectives and Vision: Start by outlining the clear objectives and vision behind the deal. Explain the goals you set out to achieve and the strategic thinking involved.
2. Challenges and Solutions: Describe the challenges faced during the deal’s execution and the innovative solutions implemented to overcome them. Highlight any creative approaches or out-of-the-box thinking that contributed to the deal’s success.
3. Collaboration and Team Effort: Emphasise the collaboration and teamwork that drove the project. Recognize the contributions of all stakeholders, including partners, clients, and team members, showcasing how their combined efforts led to a successful outcome.
4. Quantifiable Results: Provide concrete, quantifiable results to demonstrate the impact of the deal. Use metrics such as financial performance, project scale, timelines, and any other relevant data that illustrates the success and significance of the deal.
5. Broader Impact: Explain the broader impact of the deal on the community, industry, or market. Highlight any long-term benefits, sustainability initiatives, or positive changes resulting from the project.
6. Supporting Materials: Include supporting materials such as testimonials, visuals, and any other documentation that strengthens your nomination. These materials can provide additional context and evidence of your achievements.

“By focusing on these aspects, you can create a compelling and comprehensive nomination that clearly demonstrates why your deal deserves to be recognised as the ‘Deal of the Year.’ Remember, the goal is to tell a compelling story of innovation, collaboration, and success that captures the judges’ attention and showcases the excellence of your project.” If you haven’t submitted your entries for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024 yet, now is the prime time to take this opportunity to showcase your business, team and projects. Nomination forms can be found here and entry is free. Alternatively, click on an individual link below to go straight to a specific category’s nomination form. Award categories include:

• Most active agent
• Commercial development of the year
• Responsible business of the year
• Residential development of the year
• Developer of the year
• Deal of the year
• Architects of the year
• Excellence in design
• Sustainable development of the year
• Contractor of the year
• Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, with the winner, and recipient of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, selected from those nominated for the event’s other awards)

Nominations end Thursday 5th September, with winners revealed at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 3rd October at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground – an evening of celebration and networking with property and construction professionals from across the East Midlands.

Tickets can now be booked for the 2024 awards event, click here to secure yours. Taking place in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on Thursday 3rd October, from 4:30pm – 7:30pm, connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region. Attendees will also hear from keynote speaker Paul Southby, partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema, trustee of Clean Rivers Trust, chair of Nottingham Partners, board member of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire. Dress code is standard business attire. Thanks to our sponsors:      

             

To be held at:

Business owners in Ashfield thinking about trading abroad, or existing importers and exporters looking to drive international sales, can take advantage of a fully funded service from the Ashfield Accelerator Project. ‘Trading Overseas’ is part of the Project delivered by East Midlands Chamber and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It forms part of Ashfield District Council’s Accelerator Programme and offers support to local businesses to tap into global markets. This could be for strategic as well as operational support. Sole traders, micro and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be supported by a specialist consultant – Andrea Collins of the Global Trade Department – to address import and export challenges such as finding new markets, suppliers, distributors and trade events. The service will be tailored to the needs of each business and could cover global trade functions, regulatory compliance or sustainability planning. Home Curtains, a maker and supplier of curtains based in Sutton-in-Ashfield, is one business that has already benefitted from support. Home Curtains head of finance Rachel Binks said: “We were looking for support to guide us through the exploration of new markets abroad. We contacted the Accelerator project and explained what we were looking to investigate, and in turn built a plan to turn our ideas into practice. “We were introduced to Andrea who worked tirelessly with us, showing patience and understanding in every question we had. The support and guidance paid significant dividends upon the acceptance of a Customs warehouse and continued support through applications for VAT numbers in EU countries and further afield.” East Midlands Chamber Deputy Chief Executive Diane Beresford said: “We are delighted to be working with Ashfield District Council on the Accelerator Trading Overseas project. This is hands-on support for any business in Ashfield wanting to break into overseas markets or grow its current international portfolio. “Eligible businesses also have access to the new Ashfield Accelerator Grant, which can provide between £8,000 to £30,000 to support costs for trading overseas as well as adopting new technologies, research and innovation, decarbonisation and workforce development.” Businesses wanting to find out more should visit the Ashfield Accelerator pages of the D2N2 Growth Hub website and complete an Expression of Interest form. This project will end on 31 March 2025.