The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Agency praised for raising confidence
Opportunity Peterborough commended in national awards
Economic development company Opportunity Peterborough has been highly commended for transforming the confidence of the city. The agency was praised for combining traditional economic development mechanisms with innovative and integrated initiatives.
It received its commendation in the Improving the Business Environment category of the Enterprising Britain awards where judges said the agency’s work had helped the business environment flourish.
The awards were a nnounced by Small Business minister Margot James.
Afterwards, OP chief executive Steve Bowyer said: “This recognition is great for Opportunity Peterborough and, more importantly, great for the city.
“Wecan’tmakebusinesses be successful but we can help create the right environment for firms to flourish.”
“Our work to grow the economic confidence of Peterborough is paying dividends - from all the new restaurants setting up around Cathedral Square, to the new manufacturers coming to the city, and our existing companies staying and flourishing.”
Judge Derek Kozel, director of development at Invest- mentInYoungPeople, said: “A key aspect of OP’s work was the total wrap around package of support that the project supplies.”
Ms James said: “These awards recognise the value of local support.” Renewable energy technology developed by Bourne-based Lark Energy will feature in a research paper being written by leading academics. Called ‘solar steam’, the technology concentrates the power of the sun’s rays to heat water to create steam which can be used as a sustainable energy solution in industrial processes. Researchers at Lark En- ergy and Cranfield University are exploring the potential of the technology and will submit their research to academic journals published later this year. Simone Perini, renewable energy development engineer at Lark Energy, said: “Our research is looking into how solar steam can have a positive impact on the generation of sustainable and renewable heat.”