Top honour from Queen
Businesswoman picked up award thanks to an article in The News
SPOTTING a small piece of news about the most prestigious business awards in the country, the thought crossed Pam Hamilton’s mind that she should enter.
Inspired by the story, Pam put her business, capabilities agency Paraffin, forward.
The small firm had worked hard during the difficult 2020, and Pam said she was proud of how her team had worked to not only counterbalance the potentially damaging effects of the pandemic, but had also grown the business during it.
Months later Pam was left speechless when she was contacted to say that she had been chosen to receive the honour – no less than the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, the highest official UK awards for British businesses.
Pam said: ‘I am absolutely delighted.
‘It was in The News where I found out about the awards.
‘It is so exciting to actually win one. It is such a big thing, I didn't expect it all.
‘I set up my business a few years ago with nothing, and to come to this is amazing.
‘I saw the article in The News so if wasn’t for The News than I wouldn’t be getting the most prestigious business award in the this country.
‘I saw the piece and thought I’d see if I qualify, and I am amazed that we have won. It is amazing.’
Paraffin designs and facilitates training, teamwork and collaboration workshops.
It has been featured in The News for its work a few times over its history and also as Pam has also written two books – Supercharged Teams, 30 Tools of Great Teamwork and The Workshop Book: How to design and lead successful workshops.
Paraffin, which operates from the Portsmouth Guildhall, was one of 205 winners from a diverse range of sectors from across the UK announced to receive a Queen’s Award – and the only business in Portsmouth to make the list this year.
This year’s Queen’s Awards for Enterprise were given for outstanding achievement in: innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility).
The winners pass a robust assessment process, judged by senior officials in Whitehall and experts from industry, academia and the third sector.
On that basis, each year, the winners are recommended by the Prime Minister. Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants will be presenting the awards to businesses locally later this year.