Local businesses have until Thursday 31 March 2016 to complete their entries for the Young Business Group’s Bill Green Award 2016.

The Bill Green Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit is given by the YBG to local businesses which have demonstrated a desire to succeed and the ambition, vision and drive to turn ideas into a successful business.

The award recognises businesses which have demonstrated a desire to succeed and the ambition, vision and drive to turn ideas into a successful business.

Why Enter?

  • Raise your company’s public profile
  • An opportunity to analyse your business
  • Benchmark your success against others
  • Differentiate your business from its competitors
  • Win a free trademark registration in one Nice Class1 (offered to all shortlisted companies by the Guernsey Intellectual Property Office)

How to apply:
Complete the Bill Green – Application Form 2016 and return it to: Lindsey Dean c/o Saffery Champness, PO Box 141, La Tonnelle House, Les Banques, St Sampson, Guernsey, GY1 3HS or by email to Lindsey.Dean@saffery.gg
Entry is open from Thursday 18 February 2016. You must submit your entry by 17:00 on Thursday 31 March 2016.
What happens next?
Short-listed entrants will be notified on 14 April 2016 and will be invited to an informal interview with members of the judging panel on 27 April 2016 (starting from 18:00 at the Chamber of Commerce, 16 Glategny Esplanade, St Peter Port, GY1 4WN). Each finalist will receive a pair of tickets for the YBG summer ball on 17 June 2016 where the winner and runner-up will be announced.
Short videos of the finalists will be shown at the YBG summer ball prior to the winner being announced. The winner and runner-up will be able to use the YBG Bill Green Award logos on stationery and marketing materials for the year following the award presentation.

 

Who was Bill Green?

Bill Green was a well-known local businessman who was passionate about Guernsey and always sought to encourage the business sector.

He believed that luck was only the ability to recognise opportunities – an ability which he considered played an important factor in whether you are successful or not in any sphere of life.

Bill recognised the requirements of the islanders and the developing social trends of his time. During the occupation the bicycle was the primary form of transport for islanders, since motor vehicles were requisitioned by the Germans. As bicycles became very precious possessions Bill developed a successful bicycle business. Noting that there were no locks to secure bicycles he also made side income from charging people to store their bicycles at his shop in Smith Street while they went about their business.

A subscriber member of the Chamber of Commerce since 1954, he was elected junior vice-president and then senior vice president, prior to being elected as President of the Chamber in 1963. As President, he was aware that following the occupation, the old traditional methods of trading were changing and that traders would need to adapt and change with the times. He also tried to encourage better relations with other Chambers and felt that Guernsey was a little too isolated. He believed that unity was the key to being able to assert greater power.