THE co-founder of Taunton’s Creative Innovation Centre CIC (CICCIC) has been chosen as one of 100 people to win the prestigious Queen’s Award in recognition of his contribution to enterprise.

Richard Holt has won the award for Enterprise Promotion. Winners of the award are nominated for their efforts to encourage UK entrepreneurship.

Richard said: “It is an honour to receive this award for my work, the Creative Innovation Centre and for Taunton.

“I cannot thank enough those who nominated and supported me for this award.”

CICCIC is a non-profit community interest company which offers a blend of community access and business enterprise training, supporting artists, designers and musicians, and exhibiting art.

In just over two years, the space has been used by thousands of community members and has helped businesses take part in a range of training and workshop activities.

Winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are visited by a Royal representative and are presented with an engraved crystal bowl as a mark of their achievement.

They are also invited to attend a reception at Buckingham Palace, which will be held in July.

Richard added: “This is a great boost for putting Somerset and Taunton on the creative enterprise map and we look forward to inspiring more people in our community to innovate, create and make their dreams a reality through the work we do at the Creative Innovation Centre.

“This award recognises my work for promoting creative enterprise over the past 25 years regionally and nationally.

“I look forward to many more years supporting individuals and organisations in exploring their creative responses to their unique challenges and journeys.

“I also look forward to thanking my peers and sharing some champagne with them from the crystal bowl at the CICCIC reception.”