Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year

-Winners for 2011 Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs announced-

A disabled entrepreneur from Aberystwyth came joint first in the 2011 Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK, a competition run by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability.

Huw Thomas, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair, saw off tough competition to win the prestigious award, which has been running for five years and recognises the achievements and unique challenges faced by disabled entrepreneurs. He was presented with a cheque for £50,000 at a special ceremony in London on Wednesday night (14 December).

The 64-year-old’s business Promove UK (www.promove.uk.com), designs, manufactures and supplies specialist slings used to rescue, evacuate and transfer sick, injured, disabled or incapacitated people.

Huw came joint first with Rob Smith, a 36-year-old disabled entrepreneur who runs The Active Hands Company (www.activehands.co.uk). Rob designs, manufactures and sells gripping aids which allow disabled people with limited hand function to grip a wide variety of items.

Huw said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have won this Award, and would like to thank Sir Stelios, the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and Leonard Cheshire Disability for making this possible. This news is a terrific boost to my business and will make such a difference.”

Sir Stelios said: “I would like to congratulate Huw on running a successful business and displaying the drive, creativity and determination to reach the top and really fly. The £50,000 prize will ensure The Active Hands Company has an important boost for growth. Today, Huw joins our community of entrepreneurs who are making a difference.

“I am passionate about encouraging entrepreneurship through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, working in partnership with Leonard Cheshire Disability on this award. With around 50 per cent of disabled adults out of work, removing the barriers disabled people face in business is essential.”

Jane Jutsum, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation at Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: “Disabled people in business experience disadvantage and discrimination everyday largely through ignorance - this must change.

“To win this award Huw had to prove that he is dynamic, driven and his business; which is meeting a need in the market, is destined to be a huge success.

“Leonard Cheshire Disability leads the way in enabling disabled people to succeed in business and in employment, and campaigns to challenge people to change the way they see disability. Our partnership with Sir Stelios is helping the charity highlight the barriers disabled people face in the workplace and recognise the outstanding achievements of disabled entrepreneurs.”

As well as a £50,000 prize – one of the biggest of its kind – Huw will also benefit from specialist support courtesy of the Stelios Scholar Reach-out Programme.

More about Huw and his business

Huw founded Promove UK with his business partner, Dana Thomas, in 2007.

He said: “After designing a sling for my own personal use, I realised there was a gap in the market for this kind of specialist equipment.”

New designs by Huw were added to the line and the company quickly grew.
Today his customers include fire, ambulance and police services, schools and colleges, airport ground handlers, holiday organisations, shipping, care homes, social services, charities and disabled individuals. Promove also supply slings for humanitarian aid operations, and Huw’s products have been used recently in Haiti and India.

Huw said: “In running my business I face challenges every day. When I am away from home I need wheelchair accessible accommodation, which can limit my choices. When I travel on business I have to take a driver with me. And because I have limited use of my hands I find typing increasingly difficult and use voice recognition software.

“But being disabled has its advantages, providing unique experiences and insights. According to a Chinese proverb ‘the gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials’ and that is the philosophy I go by!”

Media enquiries

• For further information and interview requests please contact Natalia Kannas in Leonard Cheshire Disability’s press office on 020 3242 0389 or email natalia.kannas@LCDisability.org. Out of office 07903 949 388.

Notes to the editors:
• Leonard Cheshire Disability supports thousands of disabled people in the UK and works in more than 50 countries. We campaign for change and provide innovative services that give disabled people the opportunity to live life their way. Visit www.LCDisability.org/

• The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation is committed to dynamic philanthropy: making a positive, exponential difference through funding, inspiring and advising educational, entrepreneurial and environmental initiatives.Through the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, Stelios has pledged £3m for 200 scholarships over ten years at the London School of Economics and London City University Cass Business School. The three finalists for Stelios’ Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs will benefit from on-the-ground assistance with their businesses from the Stelios Scholar Reach Out Programme. Supervised by two faculty members from both LSE and Cass, three teams of Stelios Scholars will dedicate 10 hours of their time in a period of three months to assist each finalist. To find out more visit; www.stelios.com

Natalia Kannas
External Communications Officer, SLR Central Office
Leonard Cheshire Disability
Telephone: 020 3242 0389
Email: natalia.kannas@LCDisability.org

For further information and a free trial, please contact Dr Huw Thomas or Dana Thomas by telephone on 01970 820893 or by e-mail huw@promove.uk.com / dana@promove.uk.com.