Double award delight for HMG Paints

The UK’s largest independent paint manufacturer, HMG Paints Ltd brought home two awards from the prestigious BCF Awards, including the inaugural Corporate Social Responsibility Award and the Coatings Training Institute Student of the Year award for HMG’s Laboratory Technician, Darren James.

The BCF award wins come after HMG Paints’ hat-trick win at the Family Business of the Year Awards back in June, where HMG were crowned overall Supreme Family Business of the Year as well as Family Business of the Year in Manufacturing and the North and Northern Ireland.

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award is given to the company that has demonstrated an outstanding and successful charity or CSR campaign across any aspect of social responsibility, and is awarded to the coatings company that has demonstrated the most beneficial impact to the public.

HMG created a unique, all-inclusive programme in order to create maximum benefit for the recipient charity, Macmillan Cancer Support, HMG staff and the community of Greater Manchester.

As well as hugely successful staff teambuilding and fundraising activities, HMG in collaboration with Macmillan in Greater Manchester released an exclusive decorative paints range, the Manchester Colour Collection, in which part of the profit went directly to Macmillan.

Lastly, as part of the BCF Paintcare initiative HMG utilised unused and specially made paints for Macmillan Solutions in Greater Manchester, who provide practical, emotional and financial support for people affected by cancer, in volunteer-led painting projects to help create comfort in their homes.

HMG is actively promoting how businesses can utilise their core business activities to make a huge positive impact in their community, through its ‘Paint the Town Green’ campaign.

"Recognition from the industry is a huge honour for us and especially in this area.

"We have had a fantastic two year partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and not only have we raised a huge amount for them, the process has benefitted the company as a whole through fantastic fundraising activities including our annual cross-country bike ride.

"I am so grateful to all staff at HMG for being involved and helping us support such a great cause at Macmillan” said Gracienne Ikin, HMG Paints Marketing and Communications Executive.

HMG Paints’ second award of the evening was presented to Laboratory Technician Darren James, who was awarded Student of the Year.

This award is presented to the student who, in the opinion of the tutors of the Coatings Training Institute, has consistently demonstrated the highest level of understanding and achieved outstanding scores in examinations and practical work when completing their training modules.

"I am over the moon! Being up against people who had much more chemistry experience behind them, I didn’t think I was going to win.

"I was just happy to be nominated,” said Darren.

The BCF Awards evening was held at the De Vere, Cranage Estate in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire on Thursday 23rd November.

This year saw a record number of award entries and attendees since the awards evenings’ inception.