The BFA (British Franchise Association) is sponsoring the What’s On 4 Kids National Children’s Activities Awards for the first time this year.
The awards, in their 17th year, recognise and celebrate the achievements of children’s activity providers in the UK.
The BFA, the UK’s voluntary self-regulating governing body for franchising, is sponsoring both the awards ceremony and the five regional ‘Most Loved Activity Leader or Business Manager’ awards.
Of the 29 different awards to enter, some are judged by votes from parents, others by a panel of experts.
Over 45,000 votes and nominations were received for the awards, with the public voting for their favourite class, club, leader, volunteer and venue. Over 500 business went through to the judging stages with 245 making it through to the finals.
The finals will be held at the Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry at the end of November 2023.
Pip Wilkins, CE of the BFA said: “It’s a great honour for the BFA to be sponsoring the What’s on 4 Kids National Children’s Activities Awards for the first time this year. Eighteen of our members and their franchisees are finalists, so we will be very much amongst friends when we attend the ceremony in Coventry next month. We are looking forward to meeting many more of the finalists and learning about their businesses.”
She continued: “During Covid our BFA’s children’s activities members, many of whom are in the finals of these awards, pulled together in the most incredible way, supporting each other to navigate the new working landscape, taking their classes online and pivoting their businesses within a matter of days. As an association we are proud of the relationships they have built, embodying our mantra that in franchising you are ‘stronger together’ and it is fantastic to see how they have weathered the storm and come out the other side, with strong, successful businesses that continue to provide classes that support the development of children across the UK. We wish all finalists the very best of luck and look forward to meeting everyone on the night.”
Mel Wink, business manager and one of the organisers of the What’s on 4 Kids National Children’s Activities Awards said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to the BFA for being our ceremony sponsor and award category sponsor for the first time this year. We have enormous respect for the work the BFA do and are proud to be working alongside a brand who are so well aligned to our own brand values – to support the whole of the children’s activity sector.”
