Westmorland director wins at IoD awards
A CUMBRIAN woman has been named the country’s best director of a family-run business at a national awards ceremony staged by the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Sarah Dunning, director at Westmorland, which owns Tebay Motorway Services on the M6 in Cumbria, was named the country’s top family business director at the IoD’s Director of the Year awards.
Ms Dunning was presented with the accolade by former cabinet minister Michael Portillo at a ceremony in London, also attended by Lord Alan Sugar.
She said: “I am honoured to accept this award on behalf of the whole team at Westmorland. Being a family business is central to the way we work at Westmorland and we believe it is an important part of our competitive advantage.”
She added: “We have a great belief in our principles, which are at the heart of our family business. We feel proud to be able to offer another approach to the motorway services industry. We also believe strongly in the impact we can make on our rural community through our local sourcing approach, as well as the importance we attach to our staff and their respective communities.”
Ms Dunning was competing against directors from five companies who had won their respective regional finals and were then put forward for the national awards. The winner was chosen by a panel of leading business people from the Institute of Directors.
Tebay Services, with its farm shops and butcher’s counter, is the only family-owned motorway service station in the country. It was founded in 1972 by Ms Dunning’s father, John Dunning, who continues to run a farm adjoining the service area, which produces all of the beef and lamb sold in cafes and farm shops at the services. Since joining the company in 2005 she has worked closely with local producers.
The judges said they were impressed by the way she has grown the business by focusing on its values and by putting economic, social and environmental sustainability at the heart of its activities.
Westmorland, which also owns and runs the Westmorland Hotel at Tebay Services northbound, the Rheged Centre at Penrith and junction 38 Services, has won planning permission to build a new £35m service area on the M5 in Gloucestershire.
