Smart Talkers Pre-School Communication Groups: nominated for award!

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We are delighted to have been nominated for the best local pre-school activity in the annual What's on for Little ones awards. Its the 3rd year in a  row that we have been entered in this category and I don't expect to win but its good publicity for the cause of children's communication. Anything that gets people thinking about this subject can only be good.

There are 20 award categories for 2012 with some really exciting new awards and developments! Nominations will open on 4th January 2012 and will close on 29th February to make sure your favourite gets the recognition they deserve - each nominee will need 5 nominations to go through to voting as sponsored by The Mumpreneurs Networking Club (MNC) which will commence on 7th March 2012 and close on 6th May at 5pm.

They received over 32,000 online votes for last year's awards and already the momentum is building to make 2012 another record year! Even more exciting - for the 1st time the UK awards will run alongside the 1st What's On 4 Junior Awards to be held in Australia! For more on the Aussie awards and What's On 4 sites down under see here!  (What's On 4 Junior Sites are also now in Ireland, the USA and will soon be supporting parents in New Zealand too!)


For more info http://www.whatson4littleones.co.uk/awards.asp

Shine a light! Nominate someone you know who is making a difference to children's lives

The Hello campaign; national year of communication is inviting you to take part in the ‘Shine a Light’ 2011 Hello campaign awards for developing children and young people’s communication, launched today by The Communication Trust and Pearson Assessment.
Set to become the flagship event of the Hello campaign, these awards (www.helloawards.co.uk) will ‘shine a light’ on the excellent work and achievement by the children’s workforce in developing the communication skills of the children and young people they work with from birth to teenagers. These best practice exemplars will be shared with practitioners across the country to incentivise improved practice in 2011 and beyond.  


Wendy Lee, Professional Director for The Communication Trust, says; “The Shine a Light 2011 Hello campaign awards are unique; they are the first and only national awards scheme to focus on children and young people’s communication. At the heart of the Hello campaign is the fantastic work that takes place day to day by individuals, team and settings across the UK and these awards epitomise just this.  “By shining a light on the inspiring work that is taking place to support all children’s communication and those communication difficulties, we can ensure individuals and teams get deservedly recognised. We also hope to enthuse and spur on others who through the national year of communication are starting to tackle this subject head on in a range of ways – from small grassroots projects through to larger area‐wide initiatives. If you know a person or setting who has gone the extra mile to support communication development, then this may be their time to shine.


Twelve awards are available including three ‘Communication Friendly’ awards, three ‘Team of the Year’ awards, an award for ‘Communication Strategy’ and ‘Commissioning’ as well as the ‘Hello Young Person of the Year Award’. The winners will be celebrated at the ‘Shine a Light’ 2011 Hello campaign awards ceremony taking place at Pearson’s Head Office in London from 3‐6pm on Wednesday 23 November.Simone Gilson, Health and Education Marketing Specialist for Pearson Assessment, says; “Pearson Assessment are delighted to be sponsoring the ‘Shine a Light’ 2011 Hello campaign awards as well as the wider campaign to make children and young people’s communication development a national priority.  "Recognition of excellent and inspiring work is crucial. By celebrating it, we can share the
learning’s with others, use the best practice to shape our future assessments so that they truly meet the needs of those with SLCN, and most importantly build upon this as part of the legacy of the national year of communication. We encourage you to apply no matter what size and scale you are working at. If you think your work is special and making a tangible difference that you can evidence, we want to hear from you.”


Applications are encouraged from a wide range of settings, professionals and individuals – those who work with children and young people, those responsible for planning children’s services as well as parents and young people.  Log onto www.helloawards.co.uk where you can easily complete an application form and tell us how your work meets the ‘qualities’ we have identified. Applications will be considered by a judging panel including communication Champion, Jean Gross.  

Smart Talker short listed for another business award!!

The shortlist for the prestigious mumandworking 2010 Awards have just been announced - and guess what? I've been shortlisted! Yippee!

The 2010 mumandworking awards are organised by website  www.mumandworking.co.uk and reward and recognise the companies and individuals that make flexible working possible.  The aim is to show that family-friendly employment not only supports family life but gives real benefits to the companies involved.

The awards are  supported by Sarah Beeny, TV presenter, author, entrepreneur and Mum, who says, "Promoting flexible working is important so families have essential time together.  I'm delighted the mumandworking 2010 awards are going all out to praise the businesses and people who are making this possible for parents across the UK.  I encourage you to get involved and to lead the way in what is the biggest revolution in employment in recent years.  I'm very proud that I can support this programme and the mumandworking website."

There are 6 awards categories to recognise working parents, flexible employers and parents in business.

Over 400 nominations in total were made this year and I've been  shortlisted in the Business Parent of the Year Category.

Our independent speech and language therapy practice covers Staffordshire and our Smart Talkers pre-school communication groups are beginning to be franchised in other parts of the country. I was delighted to be nominated in the first place but to be shortlisted is fantastic! Being a single parent and having a business is always hard and something like this makes all the effort and juggling worthwhile.

The judges, including multi-award winning business woman Wendy Shand of Tots To Travel, are now reviewing all shortlisted entries and the finalists will be announced at the end of September.

All finalists will be invited to the stunning Hilton St Anne's Manor near Bracknell for a very special champagne awards ceremony on 4th November that will be attended by Sarah Beeny.  The winners will walk away with a selection of indulgent prizes worth over £3000 in total.

 
 
  
 Please vote for me at the mum and working site

If you click on the link and then like by my name Libby Hill Small Talkhttp://www.mumandworking.co.uk/awards/businessparent/

Thank you so much!

CELEBRATING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS: Nat West Every Woman Awards

It's great publicity to be nominated for National Awards and I've been persuaded to enter the 2010 Every Woman Awards 2010: http://www.everywoman.com/everywomanAwards/TheNatWesteverywomanAwards/
It feels slightly wrong because I enjoy what I do so much it doesn't feel like work!

'The NatWest everywoman Awards celebrates inspirational business women who have achieved significant success - particularly those who've had to overcome adversities such as financial constraints, social disadvantages or skills gaps. The Awards play an invaluable role in both recognising success and inspiring other women to venture into the field of business'.

I think most people would like to have their own business but there are many perils and pitfalls which have to be over-come on the way to success. It's certainly not the easy route! It is even harder if you are the only bread winner AND a single parent. I'm entering this competition because it might inspire other women to do the same.  That is: decide what they want to do and then find a way to achieve it despite set-backs and uncertainty, financial worries and family commitments.

There's still along way to go as I want to have at least 10 franchises for the Smart Talkers groups by this time next year and a further 10 by the end of 2012.