In the press: MP celebrates local business’ Princess Royal Training Award win

by Aug 21, 2019Alumni news

Antoinette Sandbach, MP for Eddisbury, is celebrating Barlows (UK) Ltd being awarded a Princess Royal Training Award.

The family-run business, based in Malpas, created a lasting impact by successfully linking their skills development needs to the company’s overall performance.

The electrical business puts training at the heart of its strategy with 95% of its staff having undertaken an apprenticeship.

The programme is embedded and integrated in the business and led passionately from the top-down, meaning that work is carried out in ‘the Barlows way’.

There is a 97% retention rate of employees and the business has grown solidly for the past 25 years, even during recession periods.

Read the full article on the So Cheshire website: https://www.so-cheshire.co.uk/mp-celebrates-local-business-princess-royal-training-award-win/

Other news stories

Case study: the impact of royal recognition on the University of York

The Princess Royal Training Awards is a new honour for employers in the UK who have created outstanding training and skills development programmes which have resulted in exceptional commercial benefits. University of York is one of the recipients from the inaugural year in 2016.

Virtual coffee: 5 ways to take care of yourself while working from home

Though working from home is common, it’s a whole different kettle of fish when you’re forced to work remotely. And for some, that kettle of fish is literal. ‘My partner cooked fish for lunch today – very inappropriate as my office area is the kitchen/dining table.’...

Case Study: Travis Perkins trailblazing in the construction sector

Travis Perkins plc, one of the UK’s leading builders merchants, has been proactive in tackling the challenges facing the construction industry, with a significant focus on decarbonisation and the need to adopt more modern methods of construction; as well as...

In the press: Using training to respond to new challenges

If 2017 taught us anything, it’s that none of us knows what the future holds. We can make as many predictions as we like, but the reality is that life will always throw the unexpected at us. That’s true on a personal level, but it will also sound familiar to anyone...

Case Study: Putting people centre stage at Veolia

As a UK leader in environmental solutions, Veolia provides a range of water, energy and resource management services designed to build the circular economy and preserve scarce raw materials.VeoliaDate 2019Region UK-wideSize 5000+ employeesSector EnvironmentWorking in...

In the press: Greene King receives royal recognition for commitment to learning and development

Greene King have been commended for its commitment to upskilling its workforce at the Princess Royal Training awards. The awards honour UK employers for their outstanding training and development programmes. HRH Princess Anne personally presented the award to Greene...

IBM hosts ‘The Apprentice’-style competition for National Apprenticeship Week

About the event IBM Early Professional Leaders held a special workshop at City & Guilds Headquarters in London for National Apprenticeship Week. It was delivered by IBM apprentices and exclusively for apprentices of Princess Royal Training Award recipients. This...

Royal recognition for 44 UK organisations delivering outstanding workplace training

From leading banking groups to local businesses and charities, HRH Princess Royal and the City & Guilds Group recognise inspirational employers for their commitment to learning and development. London, 31st October 2019 – 44 UK organisations including IBM, The...

Case study: investing in training to drive up standards, quality and sales at George

Four years ago, clothing retailer George at Asda identified an issue with quality control checks in overseas factories that were costing the business time and money. To tackle the problem and improve the existing processes, they worked with City & Guilds on a...

Case study: how IBM recruits a diverse workforce

In this video, IBM Foundation Managers Joel Thomas and Kelly Markwick talk about how IBM are actively recruiting a diverse workforce. IBM achieved a Princess Royal Training Award in 2021.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How Liberty Kitchen is using skills to unlock potential and productivity

When Liberty Kitchen received a Princess Royal Training Awards in 2025, the recognition went beyond a training initiative. It provided a powerful example of how opening access to skills can support rehabilitation and create wider benefits for individuals, communities...

Celebrating community radio champions who are investing in skills, inclusion and opportunity

Across the UK, community radio stations play an extraordinary role — not just in broadcasting, but in transforming lives. On World Radio Day we wanted to spotlight four of the outstanding radio stations that have been recognised through our Princess Royal Training...

A decade of excellence: Royal recognition for UK and Irish organisations honoured at the Princess Royal Training Awards

The Princess Royal Training Awards are the UK and Ireland’s premier awards programme for recognising training excellence. On Tuesday 2 December, in an awards ceremony at Fishmongers Hall, the City & Guilds Foundation had the honour of recognising 56 outstanding...

HRH The Princess Royal celebrates best-in-class workplace training in 10th anniversary year for Awards

HRH The Princess Royal, President of the City and Guilds of London Institute, awards employers for outstanding training and skills development programmes which have positively impacted organisations, people and wider society. 15 August 2025: City & Guilds has...

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the importance of creating aspirations for young people

n this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the diverse range of Princess Royal Training Award organisations

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the value of City & Guilds to society

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

HRH The Princess Royal discusses the changing world of skills

In this video series, Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds, talks with our president HRH The Princess Royal about the importance of skills on society, about the role we play as an organisation and about the Awards that we created in her name – The Princess Royal Training Awards – which are celebrating their tenth anniversary.

A decade of excellence and a room full of inspiration – Princess Royal Training Awards Skills Share 2025

On 30 April 2025, City & Guilds hosted its second-ever Skills Share event – this time at the stunning Goldsmiths’ Hall in London – marking a major milestone: 10 years of the Princess Royal Training Awards. With over 130 Award recipients in attendance, the event was not just a celebration but a forum for shared learning, inspiration and reflection on what a decade of investment in skills development really means.

Ten Years of the Princess Royal Training Awards

In the tenth year of the Princess Royal Training Awards we take a look back at some of the recipients including Balfour Beatty, Fifty Shades Greener and Pret A Manger to find out what achieving the standard means to them and their organisations.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This