Business behind tebay services receives national award

A CUMBRIAN woman has been named the country's best director of a family-run business at the first ever national awards ceremony to be staged by the prestigious Institute of Directors.

Sarah Dunning, director at Westmorland Ltd, which owns the well known 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.

Sarah was presented with the accolade by former cabinet minister Michael Portillo at a ceremony in London, also attended by Lord Alan Sugar.

Sarah 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."

Sarah was up against directors from five companies who had won their respective regional finals and were then put forward for the national awards.

Each director on the shortlist was selected for their ability to respond to the specific challenges that face directors in well-established family firms. 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 formed in 1972 by Sarah'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 Tebay Services.

Since joining the company in 2005, Sarah has built on Westmorland Ltd's core values of homemade food, sourcing products from local artisan producers and inspiring customers about Cumbria, its landscape, people and local talent.

Sarah said: "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."

Westmorland Ltd, which also owns and runs the Westmorland Hotel at Tebay Services northbound, the Rheged Centre at Penrith and J38 Services, recently received planning permission to construct a new £35m service area on the M5 in Gloucestershire.

The Director of the Year Awards is organised by the Institute of Directors, which is Europe's largest membership organisation for business leaders.

For more information about Westmorland Ltd, visit www.westmorland.com