The 2026 recipients of The King's Awards for Enterprise were announced on May 6 2026, marking the 60th anniversary of the awards. We were delighted to hear of the successes of Old Hymerians, Daniel Roche (Class of 1993) and Sean Scott (Class of 2026).

VUBA has been recognised for International Trade, reflecting its success in expanding  global markets and strengthening the region's export performance. This is a second King's Award for the company, which won the King's Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category in 2025. 

“We’re extremely proud to win a King’s Award. It’s an award I’ve always wanted to win since I started Vuba, so to win two in a row is special - last year for Innovation and this year for International Trade. We aim to be at the forefront of product development in surfacing worldwide. Our whole company is aimed at Innovation, from our Scientists to our wider R&D team and even our customers will all play a part in helping us develop the best products we can."    

Founder Sean Scott, Old Hymerian

M.B. Roche & Sons Ltd is one of only 185 businesses nationwide to receive this prestigious accolade, the highest official honour for British companies. The award recognises the firm’s deep rooted commitment to social mobility and its initiative to empower disadvantaged groups through construction experience and workforce development. Founded on a mission to positively impact the local community, the company’s initiative provides meaningful pathways into employment for veterans, ex-offenders, care leavers, refugees and neurodiverse individuals.

"This Award is a tremendous achievement for our entire team and the community partners we work with every day,We believe that as a small firm, we have a duty to bridge the skills gap by creating an inclusive pipeline of talent. For us, success is not measured in financial metrics, but in the barriers removed and the lives improved through genuine opportunity."

Daniel Roche, Director of M.B. Roche & Sons Ltd.

 

Congratulations to you both from Hymers College.