2. When is the closing date for entries?
The closing date for receipt of entries is Monday June 26th, 2006.

3. When does the early entry prize draw close?
All member entries received by the May 31st, 2006 will be entered into a prize draw to win a car navigation system.

4. What are the awards categories?
There are a total of 7 categories in this year's awards:

Business Commitment to the Community - open to companies of 250 employees or less.
Business of the Year
Entrepreneur of the Year
Exporter of the Year - open to companies that generate at least 10% of their total sales through export to any region outside of the UK
Innovation Through Technology
Most Promising New Business - open to companies that have been trading for 3 years or less at the date of entry
Skills and Workforce Development

5. Am I eligible to enter all of the Awards?
Awards are open exclusively to members of Accredited Chambers of Commerce around the UK. If you would like to join a Chamber to enter the awards visit www.chamberonline.co.uk to find your local Chamber.

To enter, you must be a member of an Accredited Chamber.

You are free to enter as many categories as you wish.

The Most Promising New Business award is open to companies that have been trading for 3 years or less at the date of entry.

The Business Commitment to the Community award is open to companies of 250 employees or less.

The Exporter of the Year award is open to companies that generate at least 10% of their total sales through export to any region outside of the UK.

6. How do I enter the Awards?
Digital entry forms can be downloaded by visiting the awards website www.chamberawards.co.uk. All entries must be submitted electronically.

If you are having problems downloading entry forms from the website please contact the Chamber Awards Team on 0870 735 5385 or awards@chamberawards.co.uk with your email address and contact details.

7. How can I get an entry form?
Entry forms can be downloaded from the Awards website www.chamberawards.co.uk.

8. How many categories can I enter?
You are free to enter as many categories as you wish. Please note that awards are only open to members of Accredited Chambers of Commerce. For a full list of accredited Chambers visit www.chamberonline.co.uk.

9. Where can I find out more information about the Awards?
Contact your local Chamber or visit the Awards website www.chamberawards.co.uk. If you still have any queries then please contact Peter at The Chamber Awards Team on 0870 735 5385 or email awards@chamberawards.co.uk

10. Why should I enter the Awards?
- Chance to win £25,000
- Recognised Awards Programme
- Open to companies of all sizes – rewarding real UK business success
- Opportunity to promote your company
- Motivational for your team – reward your efforts
- Entry is simple – What do you have to lose?

11. Will my entry be acknowledged?
All entries will be acknowledged in writing within 21 days of receipt by Stockdale Martin, the Chamber Awards management team.

12. Do I have to pay to enter?
No! Entry to the Chamber Awards is free of charge.

13. Can I attach appendices to my entry form?
Supporting information (other than financial tables and graphs) is not permitted unless it forms part of the entry document, e.g. testimonials. Supplementary information may be requested at national judging level. All entries will be judged on the original entry form.

Awards Judging

14. When does the Awards judging take place?
Judging for The Chamber Awards takes place in 2 stages.
Regional judging will take place after the closing date and be completed within each region by August 31st, 2006. Each region will have a regional winner whose entry will proceed to a national judging stage. This will take place prior to the awards ceremony in November.

15. When will I know if I am a regional winner?
All entrants will be notified of the results within their region by September 23rd, 2006.

16. When are the national winners announced?
National award winners will be announced at the awards Gala Event on November 23rd, 2006.

17. Who will be on the judging panel?
The regional judging panels should be comprised of senior representatives from chambers and businesses (provided that the businesses aren’t entering the Chamber Awards 2006). At a national level the judging panel will be built from independent senior business people and chaired by Professor Stephen Hagen, Director of the Mercia Institute of Enterprise.

Awards Gala Event

18. When is the Gala Event?
The Gala Event will take place on the November 23rd, 2006

Miscellaneous

19. What is the awards website address?
www.chamberawards.co.uk

20. What do regional and national winners receive?
Regional winners will receive a framed certificate. National winners will receive a framed certificate and a personalised glass award. In addition regional and national PR will be produced to announce winners including case studies.

21. How can I become a member of a Chamber of Commerce?
For a list of Accredited Chambers of Commerce visit www.chamberonline.co.uk.