A WESTBURY businessman has been awarded the OBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours List.
Jack Churchill received the honour for services to international trade and to the dyslexia and special educational needs and disabilities community. He is a co-founder of one of the UK’s leading assistive technology companies, Scanning Pens, along with his business partner, Toby Sutton who also received an OBE.
Scanning Pens, based at Heywood House in Westbury, provide portable text-to-speech pen scanners which empower young and adult readers who are dyslexic and have reading challenges to instantly access printed text anywhere. The pens are used daily by thousands of schools, in the workplace, and even in prison.
Founded in 2003 by Jack – who himself is dyslexic – and Toby, the company’s aim is to make sure both adults and children across the world with similar reading challenges have the necessary tools to read confidently.
The duo said, “To say we are honoured by this announcement is an understatement. When we first started this venture over 20 years ago, we saw the opportunity to establish a business that could help millions of individuals with their literacy needs.
“Looking back, it is fantastic to know that through our technology we have supported so many to succeed.
“The success of Scanning Pens has allowed us to establish a goodwill organisation, Succeed With Dyslexia, which has made a reality of our wish to spread awareness around dyslexia through positive stories within this often-forgotten community.
“Without the support of our families and the whole team, neither of us would be receiving an OBE today. We look forward to many years ahead as we drive our business forward, whilst at the same time helping even more individuals in their daily lives.”
Scanning Pens has for many years been active both in the UK and in more than 100 countries. In 2021, it received the most prestigious accolade in British business when it received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
For more details, visit www.scanningpens.co.uk
