WE want to celebrate the businesses which have made a difference in your community.

The South Coast Business Awards celebrates business excellence across a wide range of sectors, which make such a huge contribution to our economy.

The awards bring together the best of businesses in the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, recognising and showcasing their achievements.

There are innovative industries, both big and small, operating in fields from food to fashion, tourism to technology, employing thousands of people, exporting around the world or helping to attract visitors to our county and we aim to celebrate their achievements with these prestigious awards.

Principle sponsor Dutton Gregory and the category sponsors invite any company whose head office is based within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to enter or to be nominated.

Once received, the nominations will be considered by our judging panel and maybe subject to a “mystery shopper” visit by the category sponsor.

The judges will be looking to announce the three finalists in each category on Thursday September 30 in the Daily Echo and on dailyecho.co.uk and then a celebratory awards event, will conclude the awards on Thursday November 11.

The Business of the Year Award will be nominated to the overall winner that will be chosen by the judging panel from all the category winners.

Our ‘Business and the Community’ award recognises businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to the South Coast community. Do you know a business like this? If so, you can nominate them.

The judges are looking for a company with plans to incorporate involvement to help improve their local community. Businesses should be able to demonstrate evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or, have identified a strategy for change in the next 12 months.

Enter online at dailyecho.co.uk/awards. Closing date for nominations is September 9.

Usual Newsquest competition terms and conditions will apply.