Call of the Wild, a member of The Best of Neath have just been awarded Welsh Small Business of the Year 2008 at a grand ceremony on 23rd May at Cardiffs International Arena. Please find the press release below and if you have used Call of the Wild why not tell us about your experiences. I did the canyoning with my family and it was brilliant.

Call of the Wild Ltd, outdoor activity, corporate events and team building Company based in South Wales are thrilled to announce they have been awarded the prestigious Welsh Small Business of the Year Award 2008.

One of three finalists, shortlisted from over 50 applicants, at this years Welsh Business Awards we were named the winner at a grand ceremony which took place on May 23rd at the Cardiff International Arena.

"We are absolutely delighted to win this special award. This is a real team effort and illustrates that we have fantastic staff who are both professional and committed to their work. It demonstrates that our work with outdoor activities, corporate events and team development and leadership courses is recognised as the best in the country.

Although we were delighted to win the National Team Building Company of the Year Award 2008, this Small Business Award is, if possible, even more pleasing. This is because this award is not just restricted to our market sector. We were competing against all business' in Wales and therefore the award means so much more in terms of overcoming the fierce competition in this category " explained Geraint Lewis, Managing Director.

This year, the final adjudication was carried out by an independent panel of judges including representatives from the Federation of Small Businesses, KPMG and the University of Glamorgan Business School. The awards ceremony was presented by Bill Turnbull from BBC Breakfast News. The Western Mail Business Awards for Wales, is now in its eleventh year and continues to honour and acknowledge the very best in Welsh Business. This award is to recognise the achievement of outstanding business performance in recent years. Entry into this category was sought from organisations with less than 50 staff. The company's potential for growth, innovation and commitment to Wales was key to winning this much sought-after award

Call of the Wild was set up in 1998 by three old school friends from Neath, who gave up their professional careers and returned to their hometown to pursue their dream of owning and running a training company with a difference. They are committed to ensuring that clients are introduced to the wonderful local environment with a view to enhancing their learning, appreciation and enjoyment of the unique countryside within Neath, Gower and the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The Company has grown to be not only one of the biggest in Wales but also the UK regularly delivering programmes for clients across the UK and Europe. It has a client base which includes companies such as Orange Mobile Phones, Panasonic, Admiral , BMW and Vodafone. Mark Soanes, Call of the Wild Director, commented "This is great news for the tourism industry in Wales as it is the first time in 11 years the awards have been held that a tourism Company has won this prestigious title. It is always reassuring to know that our work is being recognised and the contribution we make to the local economy is not underestimated."