Latvians from across the UK come together thanks to the passion of one Northampton student

Latvians from across the UK are coming together this weekend for a high profile awards ceremony organised by a Northampton Business School student.

Datsa Gaile, a Year 3 BA Business Management student from The University of Northampton, has organised the very first ABN Awards Ceremony to motivate and support people from her home country now living in the UK. Amongst the guest list will be the UK based Latvian ambassador, Eduards Stiprais.

This awards event, taking place in Boston, Lincolnshire on 26 March, comes hot on the heels of a Latvian-language newspaper, which Datsa launched last year, along with a networking website for her fellow nationals now working in the UK.

Datsa, 38 and a mum of two, explained:

"I wanted to organise these awards to motivate Latvian people to start up a business and also to support Latvian voluntary organisations and unite the Latvian community. There are around 100,000 Latvians living in the UK, which is why I launched my newspaper, called Anglo Baltic News - the first Latvian-language paper to be launched since 2004, before Latvia joined the European Union."

Datsa's award categories focus on ambitious Latvians, Latvian companies and regular Latvian people who have done something good in their town or city. The categories include Best Entrepreneur, Best Organisation, Most Ambitious Latvian, Most Interesting Business Idea, Most Active Latvian and Most Popular Latvian Brand.

Nominations were largely made through Datsa's monthly newspaper and networking site - www.anglobalticnews.co.uk

"The paper is a real success because it unites communities together in their language and interests," explained Datsa. "Recently I also set up ABN Production, and we organise Latvian producer film premieres all over the UK."

Datsa moved to England six years ago and now lives in Northampton with her mum and two sons.

"The main difference is the sheer number of people," smiled Datsa, "In Latvia we only have 2.15million people, compared to your 64 million. In England you can find any nationality and I love this international atmosphere. For me England is a bigger country, with many more opportunities - but you have to know how to use these opportunities. You have to work hard here, so that's what I like to do."

"What I miss most about Latvia is the rest of my family. At the moment though I am happily settled with my two boys and mum and I truly feel like this is the place I am meant to be."

Datsa credits The University of Northampton for helping her set up her newspaper.

"I applied for a grant and business start up programme from the University's Enterprise Club," said Datsa, "This gave me both capital for publishing a newspaper and a knowledge of how to start the business in the UK.

"It's a monthly edition at the moment, but I hope to eventually publish weekly."

Anglo Baltic News is distributed to 100 Eastern European shops, to the Latvian embassy, Latvian Investment Agency(LIAA), Latvian organisations all over UK, Latvian Sunday Schools for children, the Airport in Riga and some shops and markets in Riga, Latvia.