The beautiful game comes to UK freight forwarders awards

JOC Staff |
The British International Freight Association – www.bifa.org – announces that the guest speaker and host for this year’s Awards luncheon ceremony to be held in London on Thursday 20th January 2011 is one of the most famous faces in British football.

Graham Poll, former football referee, TV pundit and newspaper columnist will entertain guests with an after-lunch speech, then present all Award finalists and winners with their certificates and trophies.

Poll is probably the best known and most experienced English referee of all time. A footballing legend with 26 years of experience, and a career that spanned 1,544 matches, he was regarded as one of the most prominent referees in the Premiership, often taking charge of the highest profile games.

BIFA continues to seek entries for its annual Freight Service Awards competition, celebrating 22 years of recognising the best in the UK freight forwarding industry. In a first for the competition, entries to any of the categories can now be made through the event’s dedicated microsite which is accessible via the trade Association’s website: www.bifa.org/awards (‘Enter Now’).

According to Peter Quantrill, BIFA Director General, the beautiful game has much in common with successful freight forwarding.

Quantrill says: “Freight forwarding is a team effort, like a football match. When freight forwarding staff work together, it creates ‘back of the net’ success for their clients. These Awards represent the most important silverware a freight forwarder can aim for.

“We have listened to the opinions of those who have asked that we make entering the Awards easier. As we take to the field this year, I invite you to visit the website and see how easy we have made it to score.”

As well as encouraging and rewarding high standards and professionalism, these awards also represent the ultimate recognition of special achievement in different sectors of the freight forwarding and logistics industry. BIFA’s Freight Service Awards are open to all full and probationary trading Members of the trade Association.

The deadline for receipt of the entry form or through the online registration, which confirms a company’s intention to enter, is Friday 17th September 2010 at 5.00pm. Actual submissions are due by Friday 1st October 2010 at 5.00pm.

The ceremony luncheon continues to be a key annual event on the industry calendar. This event will take place on Thursday 20th January 2011 at London’s popular venue, the Chiswell Street Brewery.

The winner of the Young Freight Forwarder Award will receive a cheque for £1,000. The runners-up will each receive a cheque for £200. The winner will also be nominated as the UK candidate for the Young International Freight Forwarder of the Year Award 2010.

The nine BIFA Freight Service Awards 2010 are as follows:
  • Air Freight Award – sponsored by British Airways World Cargo
  • Environment Award – sponsored by Maersk Line
  • European Logistics Award – sponsored by TT Club
  • Ocean Freight Award – sponsored by CargoWise
  • Project Forwarding Award – sponsor to be confirmed
  • Special Services Award – sponsored by Forward Computers
  • Staff Development Award – sponsored by Albacore Systems
  • Supply Chain Management Award – sponsored by BoxTop Technologies
  • Young Freight Forwarder Award – sponsored by Johnson Stevens Agencies
Further information relating to entries and luncheon ceremony reservations can be obtained by visiting the BIFA Awards 2010 web pages at www.bifa.org/awards