2007 Awards
The Hosts
Remploy is a leading provider of specialist employment services for disabled people. We have a very clear and important vision to offer thousands of disabled people and people with a health condition support to gain sustainable employment. To do this we need to share with employers who share this vision and put ability first.
We work closely with a large range of employers to identify skills needs, employment trends and job opportunities.
Through our range of wholly owned businesses, we are also the largest employer of disabled people, which gives us wide experience of disability employment.
We focus on the ability, not the disability. No one can guarantee employment for life - we aim to maximise the sustainable employability of our candidates.
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The Ceremony
Winners of the 11th Leading the Way Awards will be announced at an exciting national event - to be held this year on Monday 15 October at the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, London.
All regional winners will be invited to attend the ceremony where presentation of the National Leading the Way Awards will be made.
Winners will be presented with an award, a certificate and a logo of endorsement that can be used on the organisation's literature. All winners will be profiled on the web site.
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Our Speakers
Michael McGrath
Michael McGrath made history in January 2004 by becoming the only disabled person in the world to have reached both Poles. Included in The Queen's 2004 Christmas Day TV Broadcast to the Nation reinforcing diversity as a strength, he is in demand as an inspiring motivational speaker. At 15yrs, he dreamt of becoming the Manager of the Savoy Hotel in London. Ironically in 1984, he rejected a place on the Savoy Trainee Management Scheme - that same year, he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, a muscle wasting disease that remains the single biggest genetic killer of children on the planet.
In 2003, Sir Richard Branson said "Michael is an inspiration". In 2004, managing his own diversity practice, he was appointed disABILITY Champion (a figurehead role) for Hilton Hotels UK & Ireland. In May 2005, he received the Business Traveller of the Year Award in Dubai. Michael is the Chief Executive and Co-founder of The Muscular Help Foundation www.musclehelp.com
Richard Farleigh
Richard Farleigh is an Australian-born investor who studied economics and mathematics before managing a derivatives desk, a proprietary trading desk and a hedge fund in the 1980s and early 90s. His focus at that time was on predicting big picture trends and the effects on the currency and interest rate markets. In the mid 1990s he semi-retired and has since operated as a "business angel" backing some very exciting early-stage companies, mostly in the United Kingdom. Many of the more than 50 unquoted companies have successfully floated on the market or have been acquired. Richard is one of the investors on BBC2's Dragon's Den.
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The Venue
The Park Plaza Victoria London is a modern 4 star deluxe, design-led hotel offering guests a stylish and luxurious experience in the heart of London.
The hotel is conveniently located just 2 minutes walk from transport links and is within walking distance of the Victoria & Westminster business districts and many of London's most famous attractions.
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Key Dates
- Closing date for entries:
- Friday 29 June 2007
- Regional winners informed / announced:
- Friday 31 August 2007
- National awards ceremony:
- Monday 15 October 2007
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This year Remploy are proud to announce that this years Leading the Way Awards are presented in association with The Times.
