A bright but chilly winter day sets the tone for today’s visit.
I meet up with fellow presenters Martyn Lewis and Lesley Bainsfair at Walsall railway station where we are driven by Colin to Walsall College.
![Paul Sabapathy.](https://queensawards.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2014/12/Paul-Sabapathy-310x206.jpg)
There has been a huge amount of work put into the day’s programme by Lord Lieutenant for West Midlands Paul Sabapathy. He has tailored a great programme and Walsall College is a perfect venue with its vibrancy and energy.
Paul welcomes everyone, runs through the purpose of the event and introduces Brian Lowe, Chair of Corporation, Walsall College for a few warm words.
Next up is Lesley Bainsfair, Head of Honours and Appointments Secretary at the Cabinet Office, Lesley gives a brilliant presentation and dispels a few myths about the Honours system.
I’m on next and speak about our Queen’s Awards for Enterprise and also have a bash at deflating some myths.
- No you don’t need to be a huge manufacturing company
- No you don’t need to be employing a giant workforce
- Yes, you can enter if you’re a UK-based company with 2 or more full-time employees
- We welcome entries from all types of business, traditional and modern
![Bob Dunthorne.](https://queensawards.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2014/12/Bob-Dunthorne-Hadley-Group-crop.jpg)
I am followed by Bob Dunthorne from the Hadley Group speaking about how he successfully put together his own entry for Hadley’s patented steel strengthening UltraSTEEL product. There was a lot of very useful information given by Bob.
Martyn Lewis brings a reassuring authority to everything he does. He effortlessly delivers facts and figures about the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service.
![Martyn Lewis.](https://queensawards.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2014/12/Martyn-Lewis-reformat-310x322.jpg)
He follows this by interviewing a couple of winners of this Award - Camilla Phillips from the Hope Centre and Sunny Dhadley from SUIT (Service User Involvement Team). Both interviewees deliver messages of hope and inspiration sprinkled with much laughter throughout!
![Camilla Phillips.](https://queensawards.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2014/12/Camilla-from-Hope-Central.jpg)
![Sunny Dhudley.](https://queensawards.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2014/12/Sunny-Dhudley-crop-310x731.jpg)
The Questions and Answers throughout the morning cause the event to overrun … this means that Jatinder Sharma, the Principal of Walsall College, sums up 10 years of college achievements in 5 minutes … so we could all have lunch! Such a noble gesture delivered by a real professional.
![Walsall students standing behind a sign saying 'We are outstanding'.](https://queensawards.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/167/2014/12/Jatinder-Sharma-Walsall-College-310x207.jpg)
Lord Lieutenant Paul Sabapathy tied the day up in his usual warm style asking everyone to go away and think about a person or business they could recommend for a Queen’s Award or Honour.
I wish we had more people like you Paul.
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