Entrepreneurs and coaches who have embraced public speaking will have their achievements recognised in a prestigious award ceremony this month.

The Professional Speakers Academy is holding its annual awards at Under The Bridge, a stylish venue at Chelsea Football Club, on Sunday, September 25. Around 180 people will be attending the event with more than 50 awards being given out to speakers who have achieved great things in the last 12 months.

As well as giving out awards in categories like best storyteller and opening presentation, members of the academy who have earned seven figures and eight figures with their businesses will be named as winners.

There will also be a chance to win a £25,000 cash prize in the run up to the awards ceremony. Entrants will need to give a 30-minute presentation telling their story and setting out their blueprint for success to be in with a chance of walking away with the money.

Andy Harrington founded the Professional Speakers Academy 10 years ago to help entrepreneurs learn how to give presentations which were interesting and entertaining and gave value to the audience, while also helping the speaker boost their own business and make sales.

He said: “I was inspired by Tony Robbins and his work after seeing him in action at events in the United States. There was no one doing the kind of motivational mindset work he was doing in the UK so I decided to sell my business and embark on a new journey in public speaking and training others.

“Back then when it came to public speaking, there was really a choice between giving a keynote speech or a sales pitch but what we do is combine the two.”

Over the last 10 years, 1,000 people have come through the academy itself, with a further 5,000 completing Public Speakers University, a four-day training where participants learn how to design and deliver a presentation. The awards are designed to acknowledge those who have excelled at the training and put it into practice effectively in the real world.

Andy said: “This is the fifth time we have held the awards and they give our members something tangible to aim for. They can become award-winning speakers then go on to inspire others to find their voice as well.”