Queen’s Birthday Honour for our Digital Marketing Manager

Our very own Digital Marketing Manager has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2022 for services to youth employment in Kent.

Patrick Cantellow, 22, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his work in championing and encouraging young people in Kent to work through the apprenticeship route.

Patrick, who joined us in 2019 as a digital marketing executive, is responsible for the firm’s growing online footprint. In April this year, we was acknowledged by technology provider DSMN8 as the most digitally active and social of all accountancy firms in the UK.

Since 2015, Patrick has been a champion and activist for youth opportunities that has seen him address cross-party government working groups, sharing a stage with leading EU policymakers at a European Congress in Poland, and regularly attending WorldSkills at the Birmingham NEC sharing a platform with global brands including Coca Cola and BT.

Speaking on receiving the British Empire Medal, Patrick said: “This is a complete surprise and, of course, an absolute honour. Young people are often not told about the apprentice route and the variety of opportunities available, from marketing to law and healthcare to engineering, meaning they miss out.

“I have a responsibility in our community to ensure young people in Kent have access to great opportunities no matter their background, whilst educating employers and lobbying government for change. This award is really shared by everyone who has been on that journey with me.”

Growing up on the Isle of Sheppey and then Sittingbourne, Patrick has championed youth opportunities since he was 16. In 2015, he was the founder and CEO of the community interest company Swale Young People, a successful three-year project that empowered young people to change their lives and improve their employability. Patrick was recognised by the then Prime Minister Theresa May with a ‘Points of Light’ Award in 2018.

Patrick said: “Social mobility on the Isle of Sheppey remains a real problem with many young people still believing they will work, live and retire without ever leaving. The east of Sheerness is one of the most deprived areas of England with almost half of children living in poverty, and that is what drove me to establishing Swale Young People. The journey remains far from over.”

At the same time, he became an ambassador for Youth Employment UK, an organisation that works with young adults, employers and government to get more young people into the workplace. In 2019, he was appointed Chair of its Youth Ambassador Board and in 2020 a non-executive director.

Andrew Griggs, Senior Partner said: “This is truly a well-deserved honour for Patrick. He works tirelessly to help our firm grow and develop its all-important online window whilst challenging employers across the county to do more to support young people in the workplace.

“Patrick’s passion is echoed in our values of employing apprentices and young people in all roles across the firm and providing a supportive environment to grow talented and marketing-leading business advisers. The entire firm passes on its congratulations to Patrick.”