Almost 300 guests gathered on the evening of Thursday 9 September 2021 for a very special party – to witness firsthand the winners of the inaugural SoGlos Gloucestershire Business Awards.
Staged in style at Weston Aviation’s hangar at Gloucestershire Airport, the evening marked the end of a process which saw 421 nominations from 192 different businesses whittled down to 17 winners.
And there was a special award – for Outstanding Contribution to Business in Gloucestershire – met with one of the biggest rounds of applause of the night, for Dr Diane Savory, former chair of GFirst LEP.
Following almost a year of careful planning and work by the SoGlos team, the hugely successful event cemented the SoGlos Gloucestershire Business Awards’ position as Gloucestershire’s definitive business awards from its very first year.
James Fyrne, managing director and co-founder of SoGlos, said: ‘SGGBA was the celebration of Gloucestershire’s business community we dreamt of and so much more. We have been taken aback by the support everyone has shown from the off – from our prestigious sponsors to the number of entries we have received from fantastic businesses across the county.’
Michelle Fyrne, group editor and co-founder of SoGlos, said: ‘It was such a joy to be able to gather together again, and a real pleasure to be able to recognise and celebrate so many diverse businesses and amazing individuals and teams that help make this county so very special.’
Headline sponsors GFirst LEP and The Growth Hub made the event possible, with a host of category sponsors coming together not just to support the awards, but create the judging panel which chose the final winners.
The unique evening was made extra special by partners including Oasis Events, SLX, Neptune Rum, Wild Pizza Co., Fluffy Puffin and Richard Parsons, the Gloucestershire Magician.
To see pictures from the big night visit: SGGBA 2021 awards night photos:“https://www.soglos.com/business/50391/SGGBA-2021-awards-night-photos”
SoGlos Gloucestershire Business Awards 2021 results
New Business of the Year
Sponsored by Bamboo – bamboo.tech
Winner: Kalex Films.
Ant Marshall, of Cinderford-based packaging firm Kalex Films, said: ‘Winning this award is absolutely fantastic. It has been hard work setting up what is a brand new manufacturing plant. So to be recognised like this, it is brilliant.’
Finalists:
71a
Bridge Football Academy
Indeloy IT Solutions
Most Innovative Business of the year
Sponsored by Hartpury – hartpury.ac.uk
Winner: BioStart Security
Kevin Pope, of Gloucester-based BioStart Security, said: ‘This award could not have come at a better time. We have an important phone call tomorrow, and this will help.
‘National awards are nice, but it is the ones where you are judged by your peers that really count. This feels great.’
Finalists:
Hub8
The Beeswax Wrap Co.
Vericon Systems
Growth Business of year
Sponsored by Willans LLP solicitors – willans.co.uk
Winner: ProCook
Daniel O’Neil, founder of Quedgeley-headquartered cookware retailer ProCook, said: ‘We are overjoyed. This is a reflection on how hard all of our staff have worked. This is for them.’
Finalists:
Amiosec
Bedfolk
Portman Dental Care
Stewart Golf
Family Business of the year
Sponsored by QuoLux – quolux.co.uk
Winner: EG Carter & Co
Sam Carter, of Gloucester-headquartered fourth-generation construction firm EG Carter & Co, said: ‘We are delighted. But this is testament to our team. They are the business.’
Finalists:
Forge Motorsport
Hobbs House Bakery
Green Business of the year
Sponsored by Ecotricity – ecotricity.co.uk
Winner: The Beeswax Wrap Co.
Fran Beer, founder of Nailsworth-based The Beeswax Wrap Co, said: ‘This is fantastic. These awards are so well-timed. We have all come through the pandemic and the world has been focused on that, but it is great to be able to help raise awareness once again about green issues and see people shift their attention back towards how we can help tackle climate change.’
Finalists:
Cotswold Energy Group
Leeways Packaging Services
Employer Engagement Award
Sponsored by Hazlewoods – hazlewoods.co.uk
Winner: Caring for Communities and People
Daniel Chun, of Cheltenham-based Caring for Communities and People, said: ‘This is really for our staff. They have been through a difficult year, but have been relentless and positive and passionate about delivering and supporting their communities.’
Finalists:
National Star
Stagecoach West
Best Place to Work of the year
Sponsored by Brunsdon Financial – brunsdonfinancial.co.uk
Winner: SLG Brands
Lucy Beresford, joint managing director of Cheltenham-headquartered SLG Brands, said: ‘We are absolutely delighted. Having to send our 120 staff home to work at the start of the pandemic was terrible, but to have them all coming back, and being so positive, making our workplace so special, has been brilliant.’
Finalists:
Gloucestershire Constabulary
Green Gourmet
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Sponsored by RockWealth – rock-wealth.co.uk
Winner: The Long Table Stroud CIC
Emma Hurrell, of The Long Table Stroud CIC, said: ‘It has been a whirlwind of a year for everyone involved in The Long Table – and for the community as well. I am so pleased they have been recognised for all their hard work.’
Finalists:
Gloucester Rugby Foundation
G-TEKT Europe Manufacturing (G-TEM)
Hobbs House Bakery
The Cotswold Printing Company
Customer Excellence Award
Sponsored by Gloucestershire College – gloscol.ac.uk
Winner: Imperial Hearing Limited
Nicki Stevens, of Cheltenham-based Imperial Hearing Limited, said: ‘This is down to the leadership of our two directors, Sam Rossiter and Simon Wendland – and the incredible staff team which has worked so hard and continues to do so.’
Finalists:
Nimble Elearning
QWERTY Beer Box
Smart Home Sounds
The Finance Roome
International Business of the year
Sponsored by Barclays – barclayscorporate.com
Winner: Stewart Golf
Mark Stewart, founder and chief executive officer of Quedgeley-headquartered Stewart Golf, said: ‘We were stood at the back and looked at the other finalists – ALS Mechatronic, Dowty Propellers, SLG Brands. Just to be listed with them is special. To win – phenomenal.’
Finalists:
ALS Mechatronic
Dowty Propellers
SLG Brands
Pivoting Business of the year
Sponsored by Evans Jones – evansjones.co.uk
Winner: Cheltenham Festivals
Ian George, director of Cheltenham Festivals, said: ‘I think this has been about the passion and dynamism of the team to work out how to deliver culture, digitally – because that was the only way – during incredibly difficult times. I don’t think we all realised how much we needed it and they delivered.’
Finalists:
Barrington Ayre Shirtmaker & Tailor
The Cheltenham Trust
Entrepreneur of the year
Sponsored by University of Gloucestershire – glos.ac.uk
Winner: Andrew Steward (ALS Mechatronic)
Andrew Steward, managing director and chief engineer at ALS Mechatronic, said: ‘This is not about me. It is about the team. The whole business is possible because of the great guys that work for it. This is for them.’
Finalists:
Elliott Staton (Parallel Precision)
Kevin Pope (BioStart Security)
Nick & Jo James (Bedfolk)
Employee of the year
Sponsored by GB Solutions – gbsolutions.co.uk
Winner: Sam Bradshaw (Gloucestershire Local Pharmaceutical Committee)
Sam Bradshaw, support officer at Gloucestershire Local Pharmaceutical Committee, said: ‘I am quite humbled. I have simply worked to support the pharmaceutical committee through the pandemic. So this is for them.’
Finalists:
Ash Hunt (Stewart Golf)
Ben Craig (InfoSec People)
Dean Newman (Smart Computers)
Jen Mockridge (BookCheck)
Team of the year
Sponsored by ReformIT – reformit.co.uk
Winner: National Star
Davina Jones, business development manager at National Star, said: ‘National Star has 1,100 staff now. Everyone has worked so hard collectively, put all their effort into making what we do possible. They have been incredible.’
Finalists:
AP Air Europe
Nimble Elearning
Over Farm
Heritage Business of the year
Sponsored by Hewer FM – hewerfm.co.uk
Winner: Cotteswold Dairy
Louise Woodward, director of Cotteswold Dairy and granddaughter to founder Harry Workman, said: ‘We are very proud to have been recognised with this award. We are a fourth-generation business, but we stand by the core values my grandfather founded the business on all those years ago.’
Finalists:
Dowty Propellers
George Bence & Sons
Hobbs House Bakery
Poeton Industries
Business Leader Award
Sponsored by Gloucestershire County Council – gloucestershire.gov.uk
Winner: Paul Bence (George Bence & Sons)
Paul Bence, managing director of builders’ merchant George Bence & Sons, said: ‘We are up for national awards as well, but regional awards like this are the most important. You are judged by people you know and who know you.
‘The last 18 months has been hard on everyone, businesses and families. Being recognised like this is fantastic.’
Finalists:
Aonghus Gordon (Ruskin Mill Trust)
Chris Dunning-Walton (InfoSec People)
Outstanding Contribution to Business in Gloucestershire Award
Sponsored by SoGlos
Winner: Dr Diane Savory
Dr Diane Savory, chair of GFirst LEP for 10 years, chair of Cheltenham Festivals and architect of the firm that became Supergroup, said: ‘I feel very proud to be standing her tonight. And very privileged. Proud to be part of the Gloucestershire business community and privileged to have worked with so many great people – most notably everyone at GFirst LEP over the last 10 years.
‘It is fantastic to see you all in this room like this. Gloucestershire has some great businesses and you are vital to this county.’
Business of the year
Sponsored by GFirst and The Growth Hub – gfirstlep.com / thegrowthhub.biz
Winner: EG Carter & Co
Sam Carter, director of Gloucester-headquartered construction firm EG Carter & Co, said: ‘This is amazing. I am speechless. We really did not expect to win this one. We are thrilled.’
By Andrew Merrell
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