Over 350 guests came together to celebrate the success of businesses in West Cheshire & North Wales on Friday 11th November at the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Ball & Recognition Awards.
Taking place in the Pavilion at Chester Racecourse, the event, sponsored by Protos Networks, was a chance for members of the Chamber of Commerce to come together and reflect on the accomplishments of the last year.
The evening started with guests enjoying arrival drinks in the Champagne Bar, kindly sponsored by Valto, whilst listening to a live acoustic performance by Anthony Kluge, lead singer of Skynights who were the live band for the evening.
After guests were seated, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce, Debbie Bryce, took to the stage to welcome all and to get the evening underway. As the event took place on Armistice Day, a minute’s silence was then observed as a mark of respect.
Debbie then introduced the host for the evening, Sian Lloyd. Sian is an experienced journalist and broadcaster and is a familiar face with viewers across the UK for presenting national programmes, including BBC Breakfast, BBC Crimewatch Roadshow and Panorama. Sian grew up in Wrexham, where she learnt Welsh and now frequently presents programmes on S4C.
Sian introduced Helen Nellist, Chair of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, who thanked the Headliner Sponsors for the evening, Protos Networks, and gave an introduction to the chosen charity for the evening, The Joshua Tree.
It was then over to Sian to officially begin the awards ceremony which had seen a record number of businesses enter the 12 categories up for grabs with finalists chosen prior to the evening.
The winners of each award can be found below:
Protos Networks Award for Digital Innovation
Recognising organisations with a focus on digital innovation, this award has been designed for businesses that can demonstrate that they have embraced digitisation and have used technology to increase their profitability.
Congratulations to our Finalists:
- Nelson Myatt Solicitors
- Think Beyond
- Topwood Ltd
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Think Beyond
Young Chamber Award – Sponsored by Russell Taylor Group
As we bring the education and businesses closer through our Young Chamber programme, we look forward to celebrating the achievements of Young Chamber students and the involvement of one of our Young Chamber schools or colleges over the previous year.
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Castell Alun High School
Kickstart Trainee Award
This award recognises young people who have undertaken a placement via the Kickstart Scheme. Businesses should nominate trainees they feel have made a significant contribution to the business.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Jamie Hickson – Cheshire West Recycling
- Fraser Crossan – Chester Zoo
- Stephen Higgitt – Countess of Chester Hospital
- Naomi Chapple-Parry – Groundwork North Wales
Congratulations to our Winners:
- Fraser Crossan – Chester Zoo
- Stephen Higgitt – Countess of Chester Hospital
Kickstart Employer Award – Sponsored by Azets
This award recognises businesses that have embraced the Kickstart Scheme. Entrants for this award should demonstrate how they have improved outcomes for young people on the scheme.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Chester Zoo
- Paul Bristow Associates
- Valto
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Chester Zoo
Young Person/Apprentice of the Year Award – Sponsored by Altimex Ltd
This award is to highlight the exceptional contribution of a young person or an apprentice, aged 25 or under, to the success and growth of a business based in West Cheshire and North Wales.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Sophie Foster – Brownlow Furniture
- Hristina Tsvetankova – WR Partners
- Jasmin Hughes – Your Space
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Sophie Foster – Brownlow Furniture
Start-Up Business of the Year Award- Sponsored by Zodeq Ltd
This award is open to businesses that have been trading for less than 2 years and seeks to recognise the determination and hard work of entrepreneurs across West Cheshire & North Wales.
Congratulations to our Finalists:
- Artezzan Restaurant & Bar
- Kingdom Recommends Limited
- Menopause 360
- Positive Planet
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Artezzan Restaurant & Bar
Made a Difference Award – Sponsored by The Alternative Board
This award recognises a business, or one of their employees, that have made a difference to the social well-being of their local community. This could be through volunteer and charity work or by any means where the business or employee has gone above and beyond to support their community.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- HMP Berwyn
- Menopause 360
- P&A Group
- Russell Taylor Group
- Wildnerness Tribe
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Russell Taylor Group
Customer Excellence Award – Sponsored by Leonard Curtis
Recognising organisations with a focus on customer service and care, this award has been designed for businesses that can demonstrate excellence and commitment in the ever-important area of customer service.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Artezzan Restaurant & Bar
- HM Legal
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport
- Penderyn Distillery
- Tours Around Chester
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Penderyn Distillery
Excellence in Sustainability Award – Sponsored by S. L. Procurement Solutions
This award recognises businesses that are leading the way to a low carbon, low waste and sustainable future.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Cyd Innovation
- Less Common Metals
- Platts Agriculture Limited
- Rhug Wild Beauty
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Platts Agriculture Limited
Export & International Trade Award – Sponsored by ITAS
This award recognises the strength of exporters in West Cheshire & North Wales. Entrants for this award must stand out from the crowd on the international stage and demonstrate that they have generated significant and/or sustained increases in their export activity.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Consort Precision Diamond
- Lavinia Stamps
- Less Common Metals
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Lavinia Stamps
Business Growth Award – Sponsored by NatWest Business Banking
This award is open to businesses of all sizes and recognises those that have experienced exceptional growth in sales, profit, market share, jobs or international trade. Judges will be looking for an organisation that can demonstrate the highest levels of growth with a strong plan for sustainable financial performance.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Accted Ltd
- itas
- The Literacy Company
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Accted Ltd
Business of the Year Award – Sponsored by Ellis & Co Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers
This is the premier award for businesses in West Cheshire & North Wales and is open to companies of any size, working in any commercial or industrial sector.
Congratulations to our finalists:
- Bathgate Business Finance
- Lavinia Stamps
- Platts Agriculture Limited
- Valto
Congratulations to our Winner:
- Bathgate Business Finance
Once the awards came to a close, a raffle and auction then took place to raise funds for The Joshua Tree. A total of just under £7,500 was raised for the children’s cancer charity that provides bespoke support to all immediate and extended family members that are affected by childhood cancers.
Before the evening came to an end, the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce were then presented with the Armed Forces Covenant Silver Employers Recognition Award by Lt Colonel Mark Powell. The Chamber received the award as recognition for its support for the Armed Forces.
Debbie Bryce said:
“This evening’s awards have been an opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the great work and success of our members. After the record number of entries for this year’s awards, the judges had the extremely challenging task of first choosing the finalists and then the winners. I would like to thank each and every one of our members who took the time to complete an entry, the calibre of the nominations was exceptional. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all of our sponsors, your support makes nights like these possible!”
