them to have a better quality of life. Having experienced, first-hand, the immense benefits to be had from winning a Queen’s Award, what piece of advice can Janet give potential applicants? “The application process is lengthy and involved and it will really benefit you to work together as a team to put the required information together. The first year we applied we didn’t win, but we did get hugely useful feedback from the Queen’s Awards office and, having taken that advice on board, we proved successful the following year.” best-selling organic children’s wear brands – celebrate two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise wins in International Trade and Sustainable Development. And today, this Cornish-based company is continuing its mission to show the clothing industry that you can run a high achieving business while being sustainable (find out more at welovefrugi.com). ‘It’s a tremendous honour’ Last year saw Frugi – one of the UK’s But what has winning multiple awards meant for Frugi’s talented and innovative team? “The Queen’s Awards have boosted Frugi enormously by showing that you can be a sustainable, ethical brand and be successful at the same time,” says Samantha Dark, PR & Partnerships Manager. “Our employees feel proud to be working with a company that strives to do good things, not just for children and parents, but for all our employees, suppliers, factory workers in India and, ultimately, the planet. “It was a tremendous honour to win not one but two Queen’s Awards last year. This recognition has heightened our brand awareness externally and internally and we strongly advise every business to take the time to complete the entry. It’s certainly worth the effort.” On winning form If you’re considering entering 2022’s awards, the good news is that there’s plenty of help and support available for applicants on the Queen’s Awards website. “It helps to get as much information to hand as possible, especially regarding the evidence needed to back up your entry,” says Rupert Fairfax, Managing Director of Fairfax Saddles Ltd in the West Midlands, which won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2018 for the Fairfax Performance Girth, which was used by Equestrian Team GBR at the London Olympics. “My best piece of advice would be to check the entry criteria before you start. It sounds obvious but it would be an awful shame to get too far into the process and find you’re not eligible. Then go for it – it’s nowhere near as daunting as you think.” As an added bonus, several past winners report that the process of compiling their entry made them realise just how much they’d achieved – and reinforced their commitment to continue to adapt and evolve their business in future.
The Lord Lieutenant presents the LittlePod teamwith their award
Frugi is on a mission to show the clothing industry that you can run a successful business while being sustainable and ethical
For more on the benefits of winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise turn to page 11
Queen’s Awards Magazine 2021
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