BUSINESSES are responding fast to new challenges in the revamped Oxfordshire Business Awards staged by the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council.

TEC marketing manager Susan McKellar said the event would be bigger and better this year, with new honours to be won.

She said: "We have widened the appeal so that more companies and individuals can enter and the immediate response is higher than previous years."

The awards will be presented by Labour back bencher Ken Livingstone, who has been named as a contender to be Mayor of London.

The Four Pillars Hotel group is hosting the final at its flagship Oxford hotel on the banks of the River Thames at Sandford-on-Thames and is sponsoring the customer care award with Unipart. New categories are:

Innovation - sponsored by Oxford Mail publishers Newsquest (Oxfordshire) and Fox FM to recognise new products, commercial success or new ways of working

New business - sponsored by Business Link Heart of England and Lloyds Bank, for businesses started in the last three years

Business person of the year for outstanding performance by an employed or self-employed person.

Other categories are for developing people, sponsored by the TEC and car makers Rover and export, sponsored by express carriers DHL International (UK) and business advisers Grant Thornton.

Ms McKellar said: "We have made it easy to enter this year's wards. All companies have to do is tell us in less than 200 words why they should win and a Business Link adviser will help them to compile further details."

Companies can get entry forms and a promotional video by calling Business Link on 0345 569 569. There is an entry form on the Business Link web site www.hoe.business link.co.uk. The closing date is March 24 and the final will be held on June 18.

Story date: Thursday 18 March

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