ON your marks, get set, Go for Gold! That's the message to local firms with the launch the 24th annual Medway Business Awards.

For the past 23 years, this prestigious contest has recognised the best enterprises in the Towns, rewarding hundreds of firms with trophies, certificates and cash. With just four years to the London Olympics 2012, this year's contest has a sporting theme. Millions of pounds of contracts will be on offer to Kent and Medway firms in the run-up to the Games.

There should be plenty of extra business coming to Medway as its shapes up for an extravaganza that is much more than sport. Expect more tourism, jobs and publicity.

As soon as the athletes have packed their bags at the end of this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, eyes will turn to London and the county as the race for training camps and other Olympic projects begin. With Medway on London's doorstep, local firms are poised to benefit.

This year's contest is bigger than ever before, with big cash prizes worth more than £5,000 on offer. Prizes will be presented at a glittering gala dinner in the banqueting suite at Gillingham's krbs Priestfield Stadium in November.

Any firm with a turnover of up to £5.6 million is eligible to enter, as long as it has been in business for more than a year by July 31, 2008, and operates from Medway. Medway Business Awards are too good to miss.

It is time to put your business in the spotlight and show off your achievements. Judges will be looking for those special ingredients that mark you out from the rest.

Timetable
4 April 2008 awards open
31 July 2008 entries close
2 & 3 September 2008 judging
14 November 2008 awards evening

For more information about
The Awards contact:
Medway Business Awards
Anastasia Bakowski
The University of Kent
The Medway Building
Chatham Maritime
Kent
ME4 4AG
Telephone: 01634 888903
Email: mbawards@kent.ac.uk