insideKENT Magazine Issue 96 - March 2020 | Page 162

NEWS
TOP AWARD FOR
SHEPHERD NEAME APPRENTICE
KENT WOMEN IN BUSINESS
2020 FINALISTS
The Kent Women in Business Awards 2020 have announced its finalists in
a year that saw a record number of nominations.
Celebrating the achievements of Kent’s business women in a range of categories
including: Start Up Business of the Year, Mumprenuer of the Year, and
Business Woman of the Year; award winners will be announced at a spectacular
black-tie gala dinner at The Mercure Great Danes Hotel on Friday 6th March.
insideKENT editor Samantha Ready has been
announced as a finalist in two categories;
Leadership and Management and Women
in the Arts/Creative; in recognition of her
work with Sideways Media; the Ashford-
based, Kent-championing media and
publishing company, as well as her
commitment to young people entering the
creative industries - not only through work
experience opportunities established with
local Kent students at insideKENT magazine,
but also with her work at SoundSkool, a specialist music business college which
is committed to changing young people’s lives through music.
Sam said: “I am absolutely over the moon to be a finalist in not just one,
but two categories. I’m proud to be recognised amongst the other great
finalists, who read like a who's who of talent, passion and sheer hard
work. Congratulations to all the nominees and finalists, doing it for women
and for Kent!”
FURTHER £5 MILLION
INVESTMENT IN KENT FULL FIBRE
BROADBAND PROVIDER
HOSPITALITY AND RETAIL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR LAURA STROUD
Laura Stroud, assistant manager at The Royal Hotel in Deal, has been
named Hospitality and Retail Apprentice of the Year at the East Kent
Apprenticeship Awards.
Mum-of-two Laura, 34, from Walmer, joined The Royal Hotel four years
ago as a member of the front of house team and was promoted to assistant
manager in November 2018. In August last year, Shepherd Neame launched
an apprenticeship programme for aspiring managers, and invited Laura to
take part.
She was nominated for the East Kent Apprenticeship Awards by Alex Dunne,
general manager at The Royal Hotel. He said: “Since Laura began the course,
we have received amazing feedback from her tutors. They are incredibly
impressed by her dedication to her studies and obvious passion for the
profession. Laura is older than the majority of other apprentices on the course,
and she has also been a great support to them. Despite the time and effort
involved in her studies, Laura has continued to give 100% in her role at The
Royal. She always offers a genuine, warm welcome, and goes the extra mile
to ensure that guests enjoy their time with us.”
At the awards, which took place at the Yarrow Hotel in Broadstairs in February,
judges praised Laura as ‘a great role model who demonstrates that you can
undertake an apprenticeship at any stage of life’.
Laura said: “I am absolutely delighted to win this award! I wasn’t able to
fully pursue my career ambitions when I was younger as I had my daughter
Olivia, who is now 14, and my son Aaron, who is nine. It is amazing to now
have this opportunity to challenge myself and develop my skills, and I am
really enjoying the course. To have my efforts recognised with this award is
just fantastic.”
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ASHLEY ATKINS CFO AND ANDY CONIBERE CEO
Kings Hill-based full fibre broadband provider, Trooli, has attracted a further
£5 million in investment to support the rollout of its fast-growing network
across rural Kent.
The ultrafast broadband provider, which was launch ed 18 months
ago, secured the funding from NatWest to help fund operating costs as the
network spreads to more local towns; following works already completed in
Kings Hill, West Malling, Leybourne, West Peckham, Paddock Wood and
parts of Coxheath. The new funding complements the ¤30 million secured
from European investors in May 2019 to fund the capital costs of installing
the network, which sees full fibre broadband connections installed directly
into customers’ homes to overcome the issue of poor broadband speed in
rural towns.
Ashley Atkins, CFO for Trooli, said: “We’re extremely passionate about rolling
out our full fibre network to as many communities in Kent as possible and
delivering the broadband speeds they deserve.”