From Typhoons to Trophies – BAE apprentices create Lancashire Tourism Awards trophies

 On Tuesday 11 February the leading lights of Lancashire tourism and hospitality will be gathered at The Blackpool Tower for the county’s tourism event of the year;  the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2024, supported by Destination Sponsor VisitBlackpool; this year also incorporating the Taste Lancashire Producers Awards, in association with Booths.

Finalists in 22 tourism and hospitality categories and finalists in four producer categories are vying for the prestigious winning titles, and hope to walk away with this year’s trophies.  Each will have been through the awards’ rigorous judging processes, a combination of interviews, tastings and mystery shopping visits depending on the category.

The finalists now have just over a month to wait before the winners are announced but before then, a team of BAE Systems Apprentices is hard at work creating each individual trophy by hand.  The metal representations of a Lancashire rose have been designed and created by apprentices at BAE Systems, whose training includes the chance to work on some of the world’s most advanced technology programmes including the Typhoon and the UK’s next generation combat aircraft, Tempest.

Maria Moriarty-Eames Head of Partnerships at Marketing Lancashire, organisers of the annual awards, commenting on the trophies said “ We are thrilled to have BAE Systems as a Marketing Lancashire Partner and to have our unique trophies created by BAE’s talented apprentices.

“Each hand-crafted trophy is a one-off and destined to become a very precious reminder to each of our winners of their own unique journey and achievements across the industry, over the last year.  Our winners will display their trophies with pride for many years to come, in the knowledge that they were made by some of the finest young engineers in the country.”

Eddy Adair, People Director Operations at BAE Systems’ Air sector business, and Lancashire Ambassador, added: “As a major employer in Lancashire and one with a proud heritage here, we support the championing of the county as a great place to live and work, and our support to the Lancashire Tourism Awards is one way of us demonstrating that. 

“Having our apprentices utilise the skills they are developing in such a unique way, and one which celebrates the county that most of them call home, is inspiring. We are extremely proud of the career paths we offer young people, but we also recognise the importance of other sectors in creating the vibrant and exciting county we have, and the role that plays in ensuring we can attract and retain the best people.”

The Lancashire Tourism Awards is pleased to work with and support Hospitality Action; a charity that has helped and continues to offer vital assistance to all those who work, or have worked in UK hospitality.

Sponsors of the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2024 include:  BAE Systems, B&D Printing Services, Blackpool & The Fylde College, Conferences & Events at Burnley Football Club, Creative Technical Installations, Insight6, Lancashire Tea, Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) and LUMS Centre for Family Business, Harrison Drury Solicitors, Lancashire Business View, Lancashire Post, Lancashire Life, Lancashire Telegraph, Links Signs & Graphics, Musique, Northern Print Distribution, Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, Total Foodservice and University of Central Lancashire.

If you would like to support or sponsor the Lancashire Tourism Awards please contact Maria Moriarty-Eames at [email protected]

For more information and the latest news about the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2024 go to www.Lancashiretourismawards.com or follow #LTA24 @MarketingLancs on X