Family businesses across Cumbria play a vital role in the economy of the county....and their vision and commitment is about to be recognised.

These firms, some large concerns others tiny operations, are an important part of the county's business scene providing many thousands of jobs and ground-breaking innovation.

They are the companies with the drive to succeed through generations and it is this hard work which will be rewarded in the 2017 in-cumbria Business Awards.

This year for the first time the Best Family Business category will be an important part of the awards programme.

The category is being sponsored by Cumbrian financial experts Armstrong Watson well-known to in-cumbria readers as a source of expertise, knowledge and tips.

Jonathan Lee, CN Group development director, is proud to include the new category in this year's awards.

He said: "We are delighted to introduce a Best Family Business award into the in-cumbria Business Awards this year.

"This is to recognise the amazing family businesses we have around Cumbria and the huge contribution they make to the economy and also to the community.

"To give family businesses the voice they deserve we created a special family business section in our in-Cumbria magazine, on our website and a special family business e-newsletter to help spread the word about this wonderfully diverse sector of our business community."

Mr Lee added: "Family businesses range in size from those employing hundreds of people, to smaller operations, across a complete range of sectors, but they still face common issues and have similar challenges and opportunities.

"Through the in-Cumbria family business portrait project, in association with Armstrong Watson, we have enjoyed getting behind the faces of family business and sharing their amazing stories. This award is a natural extension of that focus.

"Given the strength in depth of our family businesses across the county we are sure it will be a hotly contested category and that it will become a regular feature of the awards for years to come.

"The prize this year will be a significant one for businesses as they have the opportunity to be crowned the first in-cumbria Best Family Business of the year. With such a vibrant family business community in Cumbria, this will give the shortlisted and winning businesses further opportunity for marketing and growth.

"We look forward to receiving all the entries and wish all our family businesses across Cumbria the very best of luck."

The awards will be presented by the BBC's media editor Amol Rajan, a former editor of The Independent, at an evening of celebration at the Halston Hotel in Carlisle on November 9.

The judges are looking for a family-owned or family-managed business which has at least two members of the family involved in running it.

It will need to clearly demonstrate how it has achieved success with evidence of: How the family business ethos runs through the company; what success has been enjoyed and how it has been achieved; the key measures of success, which may include financial performance, order book, jobs, sustainability, longevity, positive impact on the community and local economy; how the values of a family business have underpinned that success; how the family business is building for the future.

Entries have already opened for the awards which will see 15 categories available to businesses and individuals with a distinguished panel of judges from the world of Cumbrian business assessing the entries.

To enter go to www.in-cumbria.com/awards