Two Cumbrian firms have won one of the highest honours in the business world – a Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
Alertacall, based in Kendal and West Cumbria’s Chimney Sheep, have both been named in the innovation category for their work. The awards, now in their 56th year, recognise and celebrate business excellence. Only 51 businesses nationally have been given the innovation award.
Alertacall
James Batchelor, of Kendal, founded Alertacall in 2004 when he created technology to keep his 86-year-old grandmother Eveline and others like her safe by allowing them to easily confirm they were safe each day or otherwise receive a call from a friendly, specially trained person.
The company’s technologies have since helped tens of thousands of older people to retain their independence, saved many lives and are also now used to modernise sheltered housing schemes nationwide with features that include video-calling.
James said: “Alertacall was inspired by a desire to help my grandmother be as independent as she wanted to be, while balancing that with our need as a family to ensure she was safe.
“It’s a joy to see those ideas I created for her go on to help thousands of other people – and now for out team to have been honoured with the most prestigious award any business could wish to receive, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. Receiving this is the icing on the cake.
“What’s particularly great about the Queen’s Award is that there is a rigorous evaluation process; we’ve answered hundreds of questions and follow-up questions – and the assessment panel has done lots of its own research on us. It really is a proper award for doing something great.
“Thank you to all our amazing team members, all our private customers and all the housing providers that use our services, because we couldn’t have done this without you.”
Dame Esther Rantzen has long been a supporter of the company and said that it was right that Alertacall has received a Queen’s Award for its amazing work over the years.
Dame Esther said: “It is wonderful to see Alertacall win the top business award, the prestigious Queen’s Award.
“I have seen this company in action and I am hugely impressed by the sensitive and professional way they support older people, enabling them to stay safe, stay independent and provide their families with the reassurance that all is well.
“I have known James for many years, and have always admired the way he and his team are focused on creating technology that increases human contact for people who need it and they perfectly understand their role in using technology for good. Amazing work, and genuinely award-winning!”
Alertacall employs team members from all across the UK, with offices located in Windermere, as well as in Warrington, Cheshire.
Chimney Sheep
Sally Phillips invented the Chimney Sheep product 10 years ago.
It is a chimney blocker made of felted sheep wool. It lodges in the throat of the chimney when the fire isn’t lit and prevents warm air from the home from being drawn
up the chimney.
In the UK alone there are over 11 million homes built with open chimneys.
Sally said: “having an open chimney is a terrible waste of energy. It’s like leaving a window wide open all the time. It seemed a no-brainer to develop a
chimney blocker made of sheep wool. Wool is a natural insulator, but also breathable, which is important for chimneys in older properties.”
After developing and patenting the Chimney Sheep, Sally took the product to market in 2012, not knowing what demand would be like for her innovation. Sales have grown year on year.
In 2012, 1,700 were sold. In 2021 35,000 Chimney Sheeps were sold. The cumulative total is now 150,000.
The business now employs 11 people and sells an increasing range of environmentally friendly products.
Sally also set up a community interest company called Buy Land Plant Trees and 20 per cent of the profit from Chimney Sheep Ltd goes to it.
To date, they have acquired 180 acres of land and planted 65,000 trees with ambitious plans to increase this year on year.
Sally added: “I want our customers to feel that not only are they buying products that are beneficial to their home or garden, but also beneficial to the wider environment.”
