Visa Honours Eight UK Towns for their Contribution to Business and Community Prosperity

Visa, in collaboration with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), has honoured Altrincham, Armagh, Boscombe, Northwich, Sherborne, Shrewsbury, Waltham Cross, and Weston super-Mare on the ‘Let’s Rejoice Cities’ awards.

This nationwide showcase was designed to highlight the outstanding efforts of cities throughout the UK in fostering thriving native companies and communities.

The initiative builds on the success of 2023, throughout which successful cities invested in various neighborhood tasks, starting from historic tourism in Annan to cultural occasions in Pontypridd. By recognising these cities, the initiative goals to focus on the distinctive qualities that make every city particular whereas selling the adoption of greatest practices for business-led development nationwide.

Following a rigorous choice course of from a shortlist of 32 cities, these eight winners have been judged throughout 4 key classes recognized by Visa’s ‘Cities Vitality Roadmap’: Enterprise Surroundings, Folks & Expertise, Infrastructure, and Sustainability. Every city will obtain £15,000 in direct funding in the direction of a local people undertaking or initiative, together with a tailor-made help programme for native companies.

Mandy Lamb, Managing Director UK & Eire at Visa, expressed enthusiasm concerning the initiative’s impression, stating, “At Visa, we’re dedicated to uplifting economies so that everybody within the native communities they serve can profit. This initiative locations cities on the forefront of our efforts and helps Visa’s intention of nurturing development and prosperity at a neighborhood degree.”

Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, echoed Lamb’s sentiments, highlighting the importance of celebrating the variety and contributions of UK cities. She remarked, “Following its success in 2023, it’s thrilling to listen to extra examples of how areas are serving to to help excessive streets and communities, in order that greatest follow might be unfold extra extensively throughout the nation.”

Visa’s Let’s Rejoice Cities initiative marks its second 12 months of celebrating and recognising the invaluable contributions of native communities and economies throughout Britain. This initiative aligns with Visa’s broader dedication to digitally empower eight million small companies throughout Europe, reinforcing its dedication to fostering financial improvement and prosperity on the grassroots degree.