GET those entries in! The closing date for the Lancashire Evening Telegraph 1997 East Lancashire Business Awards is getting very close.

And with more than £14,000 up for grabs, it is an opportunity not to be missed.

From next week we will start to profile some of entries we have already received as we build up to the gala presentation evening in the summer when former Blackburn Rovers star and now multi-millionaire businessman David Whelan will be guest speaker.

The prize pot for this year's awards is the biggest ever, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors ELTEC, Lancashire Enterprises plc, solicitors Farleys and media game specialists Europrint Group.

The competition has gone from strength to strength since it was first launched in 1995 and has attracted entries ranging from corner shopkeepers to multi-national publicly-quoted companies employing many hundreds.

The awards aim to promote and encourage excellence at all levels in the East Lancashire business community - from one-man bands to major corporations employing thousands. They celebrate the success of enterprise in all its forms, from start-up businesses to fast track growth companies and industrial giants. There are eight categories open to businesses and organisations, including three new ones:

The Marketing and Sales Promotion Achievement award, sponsored by Europrint Group, aims to highlight companies which use innovative and imaginative marketing and sales promotion techniques.

The Business in the Community Achievement award, sponsored by Farleys, is open to companies who can demonstrate a real commitment to and partnership with the community they work in.

That means anything from encouraging teams of staff to help out at local schools, to long-term environmental projects to make their local areas better places in which to live.

And the Young Business of the Year category, sponsored by ELTEC, aims to find businesses aged between 18 months and three years that can demonstrate growth potential. The winning entrants will have their prizes awarded at a gala presentation evening in the summer. Entry forms are available now by contacting 01253 28928 or the Lancashire Evening Telegraph business desk on 01254 678678 ext 258 or by writing to East Lancashire Business Awards, PO Box 19, Blackpool FY1 3NT. Closing date is April 4.

The category structure is as follows:

Company of the Year - First prize: £2,000 and an engraved silver salver; Runner up: £500 and trophy.

Businessperson of the Year - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up: £250 and trophy.

Small Business of the Year - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up: £250 and trophy (open to companies employing up to 50).

Training Award - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up: £250 and trophy.

Product Development Award - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up: £250 and trophy.

Marketing and Sales Promotion Award - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up: £250 and trophy.

Young Business of the Year - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up: £250 and trophy.

Business in the Community Award - First prize: £1,000 and engraved silver salver; Runner up: £250 and trophy.

Highly-commended awards will also be made in each category at the judges' discretion.

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