Sewell Group, parent company of forecourt and convenience operator Sewell on the go, has been presented with an official royal award for its work promoting social mobility.
The firm’s GATEway initiative provides opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds via graduate schemes, apprenticeships, traineeships, and work experience and advocacy.
Back in May we reported that Sewell Group had for a second time been granted a King’s Awards for Enterprise – the highest official award for businesses – for its GATEway scheme, and the firm has now been presented with the award by the King’s representative in East Yorkshire, HM Lord-Lieutenant Mr Jim Dick OBE, at a ceremony hosted by former Secretary of State for Education Alan Johnson.
The awards recognise businesses and organisations for various types of achievement, and Sewell Group has won the Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility gong, with this being the second time the company has been granted this recognition, winning the same trophy in 2022 when the awards were known as the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.
Then, as now, the Hull based company – which works in the health, education, estates, and leisure sectors in addition to retail – was recognised for its GATEway scheme, and it has also been praised for its work with local charity Catzero, which supports young people getting into work and training, partly via the 72-foot yacht it runs as a tool to help build confidence and inspiration.
Patrick Sewell, managing director of Sewell on the go comments: “We use a mantra of ‘doing the right thing’. Social mobility, providing opportunity and support is embedded in everything we do. It’s also just common sense!”
