Across the West Midlands, there were nine awards in the International trade category as well as five in the Innovation section – including a number previously honoured.

The winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion was our very own, Sally Arkley, managing director of the Women’s Business Development Agency!

She showed that success runs in her family as her husband David Rowe, who is a founding director of the University of Warwick Science Park, received a QAEP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. They are believed to be the first husband and wife team in the UK to have been honoured with the Queen’s Award.

“This award is an absolute vindication of all the years of support for women’s enterprise by so many of us in the sector. It has all been worth it,” said Sally.

Over the past seven years, Sally has researched, designed and implemented a range of advice, counselling, training and support services to build the WBDA into an organisation which is recognised regionally, nationally and internationally.

WBDA provides business support to women whether they are planning to start a small business or expand an existing business.

In the past it focused on helping women from ethnic minority communities, low income households and refugees. In recent years WBDA has also developed highly innovative business growth and access to finance programmes for women across the region and has launched the West Midlands Woman initiative as a region-wide support service.

Sally said, “Although it means a great deal to me personally, I feel I’m also receiving this award for the West Midlands region and I hope it will further enhance and promote the role of women in enterprise.”

Sally has been responsible for a series of ‘firsts’ including the West Midlands Enterprise Laboratory, an innovative enterprise education programme for 15-18 year olds, which was successfully trialled at Rugby High School for Girls.

She has also written and presented a series of papers on the economic development of women’s enterprise in the UK, Europe, USA, the Caribbean and China.

“Encouraging more women to start their own businesses is a subject that I believe in passionately,” she said. I think this award gives due recognition to the achievements of our clients, the hard work of the WBDA team and the help from our regional and national supporters.”