Help to Grow: Management Course business mentors recognised in new national awards

Eight Help to Grow: Management Course mentors and participants have been recognised for their outstanding work in a new set of national awards.

The National Mentoring Matters Awards celebrate the dedicated work of more than 2,000 active voluntary mentors to the UK's support businesses as part of the government's flagship leadership training course Help to Grow: Management.

They are part of a group of almost 5,000 business leaders who have enrolled in a national effort to mentor small firms.

Mentors and participants from across the UK won awards in eight categories, including innovation, impact and diversity, with more than 150 nominations submitted.

The winning mentors

• Mentors' Choice Award: Warrington-based Phil Tetlow, commercial director of Warrington-based ventilation, maintenance and hygiene specialist System Hygienics, was nominated by his mentor on the Help to Grow: Management course.

• Most Inspirational Mentor: Justin Donne, management consultant and Nottinghamshire chair of the Regional Stakeholder Network under the Minister for Disabled People.

• Excellence in Mentoring: SME business coach Andy Sharma, chair of the Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce.

• Innovation Award: Harrogate-based HR professional Jo Smith, founder of leadership coaching firm Goalgetter.net.

• Biggest Impact Award: Andrew Sperring, mentor and CEO of Bristol construction firm JAS Building (Bristol) Services.

• Excellence Through Diversity: Edinburgh's Pinky Ghadiali, inclusive mentor relationship adviser and imposter syndrome coach.

• Outstanding Contribution Award: Martin Robertson, founder of Martin Robertson Associates Ltd, from Falkirk.

• Best Mentor Award: Isle of Wight-based Toni Sheppard, founder of consulting firm Guest Expert.

Malcolm Cohen, MD of business support firm Newable, organiser of the awards, said:

"These awards recognise the important work our national network of volunteer mentors do on a daily basis to support the UK's small business community to grow.

"It's their expertise and enthusiasm that helps to make the Help to Grow: Management Course such a success. Mentoring does matter!"

Jo Smith, winner of the Innovation Award, has mentored many small business founders as part of her work with the University of Leeds Business School. She said:

"It's great that I was nominated for this award by a business owner I've been working with. Mentoring is all about making a tangible difference to businesses that they can see in the bottom line.

"In this case, it was about developing people properly. Every business is a people business and if you get the people aspect right, they will get your business right."

According to the Office for National Statistics, improving and developing management practices can result in a productivity boost of up to 10%.

In just eight months, a new elite national network of 5,000 mentors have enrolled across the UK, with an astonishing wealth of experienced professionals, seasoned founders, CEOs and senior managers rolling up their sleeves to support the small business community as part of the government's Help to Grow: Management Course.

The course offers small businesses a total of 50 hours of leadership and management training across 12 weeks, with the government covering 90% of the costs involved.

The mentors have been recruited by a consortium comprising small business support platform Enterprise Nation, business support provider Newable, and the Association of Business Mentors (ABM).

The course is delivered by more than 50 world-class business schools, accredited by the Small Business Charter, with the aim of increasing the core management skills in the UK's ambitious small business community to help increase productivity and resilience.

Want to help a small business grow?

Being a mentor goes far beyond the rewarding feeling of 'giving back'. Mentors gain a range of personal development benefits from the experience.

Become a voluntary mentor for the Help to Grow: Management Course and commit 10 hours over 12 weeks to support businesses with their growth action plan. Sign up today