News / King's Honours
Bristol business founder recognised in King’s Birthday Honours
The Bristol-based entrepreneur, business founder and philanthropist, Heather Frankham, has been recognised in the latest King’s Birthday Honours.
Frankham has been awarded an MBE in recognition of services to education and skills.
Frankham, who grew up in Longwell Green, started her professional life as a PE teacher working at schools in some of the most deprived areas in the city.
Working with young people made a deep impression for the rest of her career, which led to the founding of Lifetime Training, which grew into the UK’s largest apprenticeship and skills training provider before she sold it in 2016.
Heather Frankham was the winner of the inaugural Bristol Legends Awards in the business leaders category – photo: ShotAway
She also went on to found Bud Systems, an apprenticeship management platform focused on helping training providers deliver higher-quality learning and better outcomes for learners.
Over the past decade, she combined her business ventures with philanthropy and civic engagements.
In 2019, Frankham founded Origin Workspace on Berkeley Square, a 42,000 sq ft co-working space to provide a platform of collaboration for entrepreneurs and creatives.
Frankham is a member on the WECA business board and works with mayor Helen Godwin – photo: Milan Perera
Profits from Origin Workspace support the Origin Foundation, which provides grant funding to charities helping young people develop confidence, skills and opportunities in the city.
Winner of the inaugural Bristol Legends Awards in the business leaders category, Frankham also sits in the West of England Business Board alongside the mayor Helen Godwin and several other leading figures in business.
Continuing her work with young people, Frankham serves as the chair of the board of trustees of 224 Youth Zone, £12m state-of-the-art youth centre in Hartcliffe which will cater to over 5,000 young people in the area and beyond.
Frankham is the chair of the board of trustees at 224 Youth Zone, £12m state-of-the-art youth centre in Hartcliffe – photo: Milan Perera
On the honour, Frankham said: “I am grateful to receive this recognition. It reflects the support, trust and commitment of many people I have had the privilege to work alongside over many years.
“My career has been shaped by a belief in the potential of children and young people, and by the importance of education, skills, enterprise and community in helping people thrive.
“Any impact I have had has only been possible through collaboration – with colleagues, partners, charities, educators, young people and organisations across Bristol and beyond.
Heather Frankham has been awarded an MBE in recognition of services to education and skills – photo: Milan Perera
“I have been fortunate to work with and learn from exceptional people throughout my career, and I see this honour as recognition of that shared effort.
“The work itself remains what matters most, and I look forward to continuing to support opportunities that help young people and communities succeed.”
Frankham joins several other Bristol luminaries who received King’s Birthday Honours, which include the co-founders of Aardman Animations, Peter Lord and David Sproxton, for knighthoods, and Mary Colwell, Alexia Jones and Professor John Sparrow at the University of Bristol who received MBEs.
Main photo: Origin Workspace
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