BOSSES of award-winning firms across the county have enjoyed a royal appointment at the Palace.

Twenty-two winners of the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the South East - three from Kent - were invited to attend a special reception hosted by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace.

Three members of every winning company in 2004, representing both management and staff, were invited to the event that was also attended by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

They included representatives from three Kent-based firms - Checkmate UK of Sheerness, manufacturer of textile lifting equipment; Viewframe Pictures of Foots Cray, manufacturers of framed prints; and Sericol, Broadstairs, a company that develops revolutionary inks for inkjet printers that cure when exposed to ultra-violet light.

Viewframe's managing director Steve Holmes had earlier received a framed accolade signed by the Queen from Captain Malcolm Naylor, deputy lieutenant of Greater London.

The ceremony took place at the company's new headquarters in Foots Cray High Street on June 18.

Companies can apply for The Queen's Awards for Enterprise in one or more of three categories - International Trade, Innovation and Sustainable Development.

The closing date for applications for the 2005 awards is October 31, 2004, and winners will be announced on April 21.