NOMINATIONS have opened for a series of special awards celebrating the best individuals in the West of England involved in the aerospace and defence industry.

The inaugural Aerospace Ambassadors Awards, which have been launched by the West of England Aerospace Forum, acknowledge the outstanding contributions made by those in the field, and are free to enter with the six categories open to anyone working in the sector.

Some of the leading names in aerospace, such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN, operate in South Gloucestershire and Bristol, are a significant financial and employment factor in the region’s £7billion aerospace injection into the UK economy.

The categories are

•             Best Aerospace Design Engineer

•             Best Young Aerospace Entrant

•             Best representative of Diversity

•             Heritage Aerospace Ambassador

•             Best Aerospace Customer Service

•             Best Aerospace Media Ambassador (Short film)

Winners will be selected by an independent panel of recognised experts from across the region’s aerospace and defence industry, and will be announced at the Aerospace Ambassadors Awards ceremony and gala dinner on June 28.

Simon Young, chief executive of WEAF, said: “We’re delighted to launch our brand-new Aerospace Ambassadors Awards. 

“We decided to start these awards as we believe the South West aerospace sector contains some of the brightest and most talented individuals in engineering today, whose creativity, integrity, ingenuity, performance and dedication is something of which we should be justifiably proud.

“There are no limits to the number of nominations you can make, so get nominating and good luck to everyone working in the aerospace industry in Bristol!”

For more information on the awards, visit www.weaf.co.uk