Road Town, Virgin Islands — For the second consecutive year, Virgin Islands based public relations firm, Barnes PR has received the High Impact Award from the United Kingdom based organizing agency for its efforts as a partner host of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).

GEW is celebrated in 140 countries and involves millions of people in activities that promote entrepreneurship and offer entrepreneurs practical support. It is the world’s largest campaign to promote entrepreneurship.

As the Virgin Islands is an Overseas Territory of the UK, its involvement in GEW is guided by GEW UK through its organizing agency, Youth Business International. Locally, Barnes PR has hosted Global Entrepreneurship Week Virgin Islands activities since 2013. This year GEW VI was part of 2477 activities held under the umbrella of GEW UK that was put on by 447 hosts during November 17 – 23.

The High Impact Award is given for organizing events that provide role models, offer practical support, develop enterprise capabilities, and referenced the international GEW campaign. Local activities this year included features on emerging entrepreneurs, talks to senior high school students of Bregado Flax Educational Centre and the VI School of Technical Studies by VI entrepreneurs, as well as media opportunities to engage the community in discussions on the importance of and opportunities for entrepreneurs.

The featured event this year was Ideas and Cocktails, a mixer for entrepreneurs that was hosted by Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Dr D. Orlando Smith, OBE. The event attracted over 100 emerging and seasoned entrepreneurs, as well as attendees such as Governor John S. Duncan, other members of the House of Assembly and senior public servants and private sector stakeholders.

The company’s Executive Director, Sachkia Barnes commented on receiving the award. “For GEW the idea really is to provide quality programs and events based on what entrepreneurs have said they would like to see. I am grateful for the award but also more grateful to our local entrepreneurs that have taken an interest in GEW VI and have assisted in ensuring that the quality of programs and events meet a particular standard. The involvement of our Premier this year, I believe also speaks of Government’s interest in GEW VI and support for local entrepreneurs.”

Barnes said she was very encouraged by the Territory’s response to activities. “We were definitely able to build on last year in 2014 and that is largely due to the interest and support from local entrepreneurs and the wider community.” Barnes added: “Based on the response, it’s obvious that local entrepreneurs are interested in engaging each other and finding similar opportunities to learn more and essentially play a bigger role in our local economy and I am excited that GEW VI will be providing opportunities for just that in the future.”

GEW VI 2014 was sponsored by JTV, Mariner Inn and Restaurant and JOMA Properties.

Barnes PR is a boutique public relations agency based in the Virgin Islands. The company provides novel communications solutions for private and public sector clients interested in fundamentally impacting their communities. GEW VI is one of two community outreach programs hosted by Barnes PR, the other being the Rita Frett Georges Tea that raises funds for the Family Support Network.