COMPANIES across Wirral and Merseyside will be receiving a leaflet indicating how to apply for a Queen's Award for Enterprise, described by previous winners as being "like a corporate knighthood."

Nominations are also being invited for the Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion - an award for individuals, introduced last year, for people making outstanding contributions to the promotion of enterprise skills.

Last year, seven Northwest companies and two individuals were recognised in the awards.

Three categories are open to companies -International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development. The individual award celebrates a wide range of activities both nationally and locally, from fostering novel methods of mentoring young business people to outstanding leadership in promoting entrepreneurial skills as a career option.

Queen's Award secretary Stephen Brice said: "Over the years the Northwest has produced many worthy winners. There are many more good quality companies in the region that stand a good chance of winning a Queen's Award next year and I urge them to come forward and receive the recognition their efforts deserve."

Mr Brice went on: "It's a popular misconception that only big companies can win a Queen's Award. Almost half of the awards granted in 2005 were made to companies with fewer than 50 employees and 14 had fewer than 10."

The award scheme recognises and encourages outstanding business achievement. Its minimum requirement is that entrants employ at least two full time people (or part-time equivalent), can demonstrate commercial success and are high achievers in their field.

Nominations can be made up to midnight on October 31, and winners will be announced next April Nominations forms, together with background and guidance notes, are available on

The Queen's Awards Office website on www.queensawards.org.uk