A Welsh family-run business has beaten off stiff competition from businesses across the UK to be named a finalist in the National Business Awards.
Cardiff-based Young Voices has reached the national final in the Corporate Citizen category and is now battling it out with the likes of Barclays, Virgin Media, KPMG and Marks and Spencers to scoop the coveted award.
Founded by Welsh entrepreneur David Lewis, 72, Young Voices stages 21 massed-voice children’s concerts annually in the UK and Ireland, involving more than 120,000 children making it the largest choral organising company in the world.
It provides opportunities for primary school children to perform all styles of music with the aim of boosting their confidence and providing lifelong memories for them and their families, while empowering teachers and helping with their personal development.
Since it was established in 1996, the £2.5m turnover business has held over 75 concerts for more than a million children in stadiums such as the O2 in London, the LG in Birmingham, the MEN in Manchester and the Motorpoint arena in Sheffield, featuring an array of top talent including Sir Cliff Richard, Katherine Jenkins, Joss Stone, Gary Barlow, David Grey, Miss Dynamite, Lemar, Chris de Berg, Michael Ball and Beverley Knight.
Together with providing memorable musical experiences for young people, Young Voices has established its own charity, The Young Voices Foundation, which provides schools in disadvantaged areas with the opportunity to join in the concerts for free, while the organisation has raised in excess of £1 million for children’s cancer charity Clic Sargent through its concerts and by hosting the Clic Sargent concert in the Royal Albert Hall every December. It also supports and encourages projects that focus on the continual professional development of teachers and leaders.
The firm now has to persuade a panel of expert judges of the National Business Awards that it should be crowned top of the pops from the 10 finalists in the Corporate Citizen category.
Founder and chair, David Lewis, said: “Young Voices believes that instilling a love of music into the hearts of primary school children and giving them a once-in-a-lifetime experience will create in each child a belief in the good things in life. There are no auditions to get into a Young Voices choir, and we very much operate on the philosophy that “if you can sing, you’re in!”
“A child who loves music and has performed in a choir is more confident, more respectful, more responsible and a better team player as a direct result of the experience, while teachers have the opportunity to explore leadership challenges and extend their personal development outside of the classroom.
“We’ve already won a number of awards for the work we’ve done including an Innovation Award at the Federation of Small Businesses’ British Small Business Champions Awards 2007, and Best Corporate Responsibility award at the UK Business Awards 2010. We are absolutely thrilled that our family-run business is in the running for yet another national award, and are hoping for a triple whammy!”
The idea for Young Voices came after David Lewis arranged similar events the world-over, which were inspired by Welsh singing at a rugby international match and his desire to ensure it didn’t decline with the closure of mines and chapels in Wales.
Since beginning with four staff members in Cardiff, the company still only employs seven full-time staff, but takes on 65 temporary staff during concert periods to stage each event including music specialists, sound and light technicians, riggers, stage crew and catering.
Together with David Lewis, the family business is run by son Ben Lewis, 34, managing director who is responsible for the company’s strategy; other son Paul Lewis, 39, who handles the logistical challenges of organising up to 8,000 children in UK’s largest arenas, and daughter, Ceri Lewis, 38, responsible for extending Young Voices’ contact with schools and communicating with teachers.
David added: “I’m so lucky that all my children are involved in the business and love the work we do. Ben has been managing director for six years now, and is leading us into exciting new territories including taking the Young Voices concept to USA and Germany. It’s so great to see the idea that we dreamt up while watching rugby at the Cardiff Arms Park spreading right across the world.”
Now in its twelfth year, the National Business Awards is the UK’s most prestigious independent business recognition platform with an emphasis on excellence, innovation and ethical business.
More than 150 of Britain’s leading businesses, business leaders and social enterprises have been shortlisted as finalists for the 2013 National Business Awards across 17 categories. This year’s shortlisted businesses have a collective global turnover of more than £341 billion, covering activities as diverse as telecoms, construction, entertainment, publishing and manufacturing.
Dame Helen Alexander, Chair of judges for the National Business Awards, said: “These organisations and leaders represent exceptional success over the past year. The environment has been tough; these are the firms leading the way to growth. There’s a broad spectrum of sectors represented, as well as organisations of very different sizes, reflecting the diversity of British business and the vitality of our economy. Congratulations to all our finalists.”
Finalists were chosen from the hundreds of businesses that entered or were nominated for the titles. The overall winners across all 17 categories will be revealed at an awards ceremony on 12 November at the Grosvenor House, London.