Rhondda Cynon Taf Business Club

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Heads of the Valleys Innovation Awards – Winners Announced

Last night, in the awe-inspiring surroundings of the Dowlais Engine House, the winners of the 2009 Heads of the Valleys Innovation Awards were announced in front of a capacity audience mainly from South Wales.

The Innovation Awards, now in their third year, showcase and reward the most innovative businesses in the area. Businesses gain recognition for doing things differently or imaginatively that has had a dramatic and beneficial impact on their development and / or the region or beyond.

BBC’s Jason Mohammad compered the event, which was opened by Alistair Neill, Chief Executive of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.

Richie Turner, from the University of Wales Global Academy, who manages the Prince of Wales Innovation Scholarship programme said, "The Innovation Awards are a fantastic opportunity to hear about and be inspired by the businesses in the region and we are delighted to be the main sponsor of the Awards and Marketplace exhibition, which in itself is an innovative event."

"These businesses demonstrate the power of innovation to drive the Welsh economy forward and they play an important role in putting the Heads of the Valleys back on the innovation map. The winners show that innovation really does make a difference – to the business, to the people in that business, to customers, to the local community and to the region. Many congratulations to all of the winners."

Phil Burkhard, Manager of the Heads of the Valleys Innovation Programme (HOVIP) said, "We were delighted to have received so many entries for this year’s Awards. The Engine House once powered the largest ironworks in the world in a region that was, and is once again becoming, a hotbed of innovation. The calibre of entries was very high and the winners will act as a beacon for others."

HOVIP received 35 entries for the 2009 Awards, which included a number of RCT Business Club members, entries were across four separate categories and the submissions were judged by an independent panel of high profile business and social enterprise professionals.

The winners are:
Most Innovative Social Enterprise -sponsored by Cardiff-based Capital Law:
New Pathways (Merthyr Tydfil County Borough)

Most Innovative Sole Trader - sponsored by HSBC:
Shabby Chic Antiques (Merthyr Tydfil County Borough)

Most Innovative Business with less than 20 employees - sponsored by South Wales Chamber of Commerce:
SteriTouch Ltd (Blaenau Gwent County Borough)

Most Innovative Business with more than 20 employees - sponsored by BT:
DecTek Ltd. (Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough) - RCT Business Club Member

Nick Corlett of SteriTouch Ltd summed up the excitement shared by all the winners when he said, "We were thrilled to win the award and extremely flattered that our efforts have been recognised. The Award means a great deal to us and will give us exposure to a much wider audience than we usually reach. We are proud to be winners."

In addition, the Award for the Most Innovative Exhibition stand, sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Flexible Support for Business was Royvon Dog Training Schools (Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.

The Heads of the Valleys Innovation Awards and Marketplace exhibition is a flagship event organised as part of the Heads of the Valleys Innovation Programme (HOVIP). HOVIP aims to increase the capacity for innovation in businesses in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Torfaen and to make them more competitive.

HOVIP is hosted by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and supported by the Welsh Assembly Government Heads of the Valleys Regeneration Programme. It is also supported by Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Torfaen County Borough Councils.

For further information about the Heads of the Valleys Innovation Programme, please visit www.hovip.org.uk.