Four BMF members and an inspirational individual have been recognised for excellence within the industry, winning the prestigious British Marine Federation (BMF) Awards 2015. Presented by BMF President, Fiona Pankhurst, Awards were given to i-Bos Ltd and MBNA Thames Clippers for ‘Best Marine Business to Work For’ while Topsail and Bartons were named as ‘Best Training and Development’ provider.
During the event, Robin Walters, Founder of Walcon, was also honoured with the Peter Millward Memorial Award for his outstanding contribution to BMF association The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA).
‘Best Marine Business to Work For’
i-Bos Ltd won the ‘Best Marine Business to Work For Award’ for under 10 employees. The judges commented that “there were good examples of where team work had directly contributed to product development. Staff members appreciate the charitable work the company does and the opportunities they have as the employees to engage in industry networking groups”.
In the over 10 employees category MBNA Thames Clippers took home the prize. The judges noted “the fantastic employer and employee communication and clarity of business aims. The staff talk highly of the fact that they like the ‘open door’ policy CEO Sean Collins has for all workers at the company and this has resulted in him being very highly respected by his team.” Emma Crompton, Fleet Training Coordinator and Master, who collected the Award along with Olesja Strinovica, Fleet Support Manager, commented: “We are thrilled to have received this prestigious award for best marine company to work for. MBNA Thames Clippers was founded over 16 years ago as a small, family run business. There are now over 250 employees working for the company but it has still retained that friendly atmosphere where everybody is valued no matter what their role. Our Award will take pride of place in our fantastic new offices.”
‘Best Training and Development Award’
The ‘Best Training and Development Award’, in the under 10 employees category, was awarded to Topsail. The judges noted “the excellent use of apprentices in the business and the training they give both on and off the water with a good mix of external and internal training provided.” Rob Stevens, Managing Director, and Daniel Groves, Senior Account Executive, were there to receive their Award. Rob Stevens commented: “We are really pleased to have received the BMF Award for Best Training and Development. Our staff put in a lot of hard work into training and professionalism and we are very proud of all of them. The Award is highly appreciated – it demonstrates a lot of hard work and dedication.”
Bartons scooped the ‘Best Training and Development Award’ for the over 10 employees category, collected by Howard Quintivan, Marine Solicitor Advocate. The judges were impressed that Bartons does a lot of training over and above what is required enabling staff to get much more detail on the technical aspects of the boat. It was also noted that “a broad range of training and development tools are used to aid performance from courses and coaching to mentoring and conferences.” Howard Quintivan said of the Award: “We are very honoured to receive the Award. It reflects Bartons dedication to ‘walking the walk’ as well as ‘talking the talk’. We are very grateful to the BMF for all its hard work and support.”
The final award was the Peter Millward Memorial Award, presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to BMF Associations. Chosen by the BMF staff, Robin Walters is a very deserving winner. During the celebrations he said: “I’m incredibly proud to have been awarded the Peter Millward Memorial Award at the British Marine Federation’s annual Awards. I’ve been involved in the industry for over 50 years now and have accomplished some remarkable achievements in that time, including installing the first marina in the UK at Port Hamble. I enjoy being part of such a fantastic industry and am honoured that my efforts have been recognised in this way.”
Howard Pridding, BMF Chief Executive said: “Our congratulations go to those recipients of the BMF Awards and Robin Walters for being awarded the Peter Millward Memorial Award. We all want to be the best at what we do and these companies who we have celebrated today can justifiably say that.”
The Awards were presented at the BMF’s Annual General Meeting.