Fancy bagging yourself an award and a cash prize?

Registration to take part in the 2014 Swale Business Awards is now open ready for entries to be submitted next month.

The event, which is in its eighth year, is an ideal opportunity to highlight the diversity and excellence of firms across four categories.

They are: small business of the year, customer service and commitment, international achievement, and Swale business of the year 2014.

The competition is open to all. The only criterion is that you must have been trading for at least 12 months on or before July 31, 2014.

Entries will be whittled down to a shortlist of finalists.

They will then be visited in person by one of the judging panel – Liz Jordan FCA, partner at UHY Hacker Young; Steve Offer, commercial manager for HSBC; and Krishen Patel, a solicitor at Thomson Snell and Passmore.

Awards will be presented to the winners during a gala dinner in October.

The overall prize, which was won by Rushenden-based Medichem International last year, is £1,000 cash.

Paul Price, chairman of the awards and owner of marketing and PR agency IMM-UK, took over leadership in 2010 after the closure of the Thames Gateway Chamber of Commerce, the previous organiser.

He said: “Being involved in the Swale Business Awards is incredibly rewarding for my team and me. As the event organiser it is wonderful to see how well regarded the event has become and how much it has grown.

“Last year there were almost 200 guests and we raised nearly £3,000 for charity.

“Every year we aim to raise the bar and this year is no exception.

“Innovations include a launch event at Shepherd Neame Brewery in April and another held at Macknades, Faversham, in June, both of which give potential entrants a head start on making a winning application as well as providing networking opportunities for all attending.

“I wish everyone the best of luck.”

Register and enter the awards at www.swalebusinessawards.co.uk or email a scanned copy of the entry form to rosie@swalebusinessawards.co.uk

You can also submit your entry by post Swale Business Awards, Rosie Collins, c/o IMM-UK, Woodstock House, Winch Road, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne ME9 8AG.