A celebration of businesses committed to disability equality will take place at the grand ceremony of the Disabled Peoples Business and Community Awards on November 16.
The Southampton Centre for Independent Living (SCIL) has announced that this year members of the public will have the chance to have their say in which businesses deserve to win the awards
Daily Echo readers have the chance to nominate in four categories to help decide which company has gone above and beyond the call of duty and ensured that disabled people are treated equally.
The categories open for readers to nominate in are: the disability equality achievement awards for best hospitality, best independent retailer, best High Street retailer and a new award - the judges' award for outstanding newcomer.
Ian Loynes, chief executive for SCIL, said: "We have opened the vote to Daily Echo readers because they will be the people using the shops, pubs and restaurants around Hampshire. With their votes we hope to reflect the good experiences they are having and reward some of those establishments that they believe have gone above and beyond the call of duty."
Ceremony
The awards ceremony will be held at the home of Hampshire cricket, The Rose Bowl, in West End, Southampton. The winners will be announced at the lunchtime ceremony, which will be hosted by Meridian Tonight presenter Debbie Thrower, who hosted the awards last year.
She said: "I am delighted to be hosting the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Disability Awards again this year. The event is a wonderful way to acknowledge the work businesses are doing to meet the needs of disabled employees and customers."
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The awards are in their third year and and have proved to be a tremendous success, attracting sponsorship from some of the region's key businesses and employers, such as HSBC Bank and Newsquest Group as well as Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council.
There are ten different awards in total ranging from Best Entertainment and Leisure Retailer to Best Transport Organisation.
Speaking of the new award, The Judges Award for Outstanding Newcomer, Ian Loynes said: "We have created this new award to champion new companies that have gone the extra mile to include disabled people both as customers and employees within their business.
"This award will stop the big corporate companies crowding out the newcomers who often have the best ideas."
You can complete the nomination form below or e-mail your nominations to access@soton-echo.co.uk.
You can also fill out a nomination form by clicking here
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