A LOCAL businessman is in the running for a national award which recognises the work of franchisees in the UK.
Charles Folkes, the Managing Director of Guisborough-based homecare company Caremark (Redcar and Cleveland) is one of only three finalists in the category of ‘Olderpreneur’ Franchisee of the Year, in the awards run by the British Franchise Association.
As the name suggests, this category is aimed at franchisees aged 55 and over and Charles, who set up Caremark (Redcar and Cleveland) in 2007, is competing against a woman running a bookkeeping company and a man who has a tools supply business.
Charles says: “Whilst it is fantastic to receive the nomination in my name, I couldn’t have achieved anything with the support of my dedicated team who work relentlessly to deliver a high quality service to the vulnerable people who we support.
“So, in reality it is everyone at Caremark (Redcar and Cleveland) who has been nominated for this award.
“I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking our clients, and their families, for all the wonderful support they give our staff. This nomination is just as much about them too.”
Charles presented his case to a panel of judges in July and will discover if he has been successful at the awards ceremony in Birmingham on 29th September.
Pip Wilkins, Chief Executive of the British Franchise Association, said: commented: “With around 45,000 franchise-owned businesses in the UK, we’ve had to make some very tough choices to get down to just 20 finalists in six categories.
“Selecting just a handful of exceptional business owners to go through is extremely difficult. These are outstanding entrepreneurs that are leading the way in franchising and we’re set for an even more difficult task ahead in choosing the winners.”
The awards are sponsored by HSBC and Andy Brattesani, UK head of franchising at HSBC, added:
“One of the best aspects of these awards is that they recognise the outstanding work being done by franchisees in their communities right across the country. These are local people creating local jobs and generating wealth for local economies.”