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From jamie.goodwin@hullcc.gov.uk | Thursday 29 April 2021

Construction and retail specialist recognised by Buckingham Palace for promoting opportunity.

Sewell Group has been recognised as one of just 18 businesses in the Queens Awards for Enterprise.

Hull firm Sewell Group is one of just 18 businesses across the country to be recognised in the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity – the most prestigious accolade for UK businesses.

The award celebrates the firm's contribution to the region through employing local people and investing in developing talent, as well as giving back to communities and supporting the regional economy, through commissioning the local supply chain.

Over the past two decades, the firm has led initiatives including:

  • Adopting a “look local first” approach to its supply chain across projects resulting in, on average, 80 per cent local labour to benefit the local economy
  • The Sewell Skills Academy, which provided employability skills alongside a taster of the construction industry for more than 1,400 young people, including those not in education, employment or training (NEETs), which has since developed into the Tommy Coyle Academy providing a free gym facility for more than 1,000 young people in east Hull
  • Humber-based charity CatZero, which has been supporting young people and families from across the region since 2009
  • Abilities in Facilities, in partnership with Mencap, offering paid employment and training for more than 30 individuals with learning disabilities
  • More than £30,000 donated to local charity and community groups every year through our 13 Sewell on the go retail stores, with long-term partnerships with organisations including Hull 4 Heroes, the Coyle Foundation, Fit Mums, Dove House and Hull Animal Welfare Trust.

Dr Paul Sewell OBE said: “Our vision has always been to be a successful company that endeavours to make a difference to the areas in which we work – to become a great company to deal with, we have great people working with us.

“By investing in the development and training of our people, and taking on trainees, apprentices and graduates, we’ve created an extremely talented workforce. We employ ethical people who want to make a difference to local communities and we invest our time and effort into projects that are going to make a difference to local people.

“To receive this award from Her Majesty the Queen is a huge honour and I’m incredibly proud of our teams. Promoting opportunity is exactly what we’re about and what we do as a company; we’re successful because we provide opportunities, both within the company and the community.”