Kerrie Pope, Head of Events and Marketing at the Trentham Estate, has been crowned Staffordshire Ambassador of the Year at the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Business Awards on 9 July.

The award recognises businesses or individuals who have gone above and beyond to promote Staffordshire and tell the county's story through events and advocacy. Kerrie was chosen from five finalists by We Are Staffordshire businesses and supporters.

Kerrie has worked closely with the We Are Staffordshire and Visit Staffordshire teams to promote the county as a visitor destination. She was presented with the award by Louisa Shaw, Head of Place Marketing for We Are Staffordshire, and Sharon Owusu, Young Ambassador Network Chair and Keele University student.

What Kerrie said

"I'm incredibly honoured to have received this award," Kerrie said. "Championing Trentham and showcasing everything Staffordshire has to offer is something I'm genuinely passionate about. It's a privilege to contribute wherever I can, whether that's hosting events at Trentham or representing the county further afield, as I recently did at the House of Commons."

She added: "I feel very fortunate to live and work in Staffordshire. We're blessed with stunning landscapes, thriving businesses and fantastic communities, all of which make this a great place to be. I'd encourage anyone who shares that pride to become an Ambassador. The more people we have championing Staffordshire, the stronger our collective voice becomes when we tell others what a fantastic place it is."

The Ambassador scheme

Over 370 Staffordshire Ambassadors have now pledged their support to We Are Staffordshire. This is the fifth year the Ambassador Award has been presented. Previous winners include Joanne Conroy Wilson of Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, Karen Jennings of Lichfield Cathedral, Philip Carter of Ornua Foods in Leek, and Gill and Will Sherwin of Best of British Beer in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Hannah Ault, We Are Staffordshire Place Board Chair, said: "It's fantastic to see the Staffordshire Ambassador category once again at the Chambers of Commerce Business Awards. We want to raise awareness of our ambassadors and all the work they do in promoting Staffordshire as a great place."

The awards ceremony was held at Uttoxeter Racecourse and was attended by hundreds of business owners and leaders.