Teams from some of the region’s best businesses celebrated coveted award wins this week at the first heat of the North East Business Awards.
Newcastle Building Society was crowned Company of the Year, and also scooped the Apprenticeship, Training and Skills Award, in a hotly contested heat that will see winners go on to compete in the Grand Final at Hardwick Hall on September 29.
Chief executive Andrew Haigh said he was delighted for everyone who works at Newcastle Building Society while Kirsten Lightfoot, head of people development at the Society, said: “It means everything to win this award. For us, we’re about investing in the talent of the region and social mobility - recruiting from the less obvious places and giving people a chance to forge a career in finance.”
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A lively awards ceremony - hosted by TV presenter Kirsten O’Brien - took place at the Hilton NewcastleGateshead, where hundreds from companies nominated across nine categories celebrated their achievements.
The first award winner of the night was North Shields-based AIS Survivex which beat ClearVUE and GAP Group (North East) Ltd to the Innovation and Technology Award. Emma Howorth, general manager at the energy sector training provider, collected the award and paid tribute to her team.
In the Heart of the Community category - where judges look for evidence of contribution to the overall well-being of the community, its environment and general quality of life - Newcastle-based law firm Muckle LLP picked up the award.
Stephanie Brown, associate solicitor at Muckle, said: “Muckle believes in giving back to the North East. Being engaged in the region and in the community is incredibly important to the firm.”
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Meanwhile the Manufacturing Award was scooped by Cramlington-based pharmaceutical maker Sterling Pharma Solutions.
James Rogers, executive vice president and site head, said: “It’s recognition of all the hard work that our staff have put in. There’s been manufacuturing on our Cramlington site 1969 and we play a key role in bringing life saving drugs to people. I’m just at the top of a fabulous team doing great work.”
Waste processing and logistics firm GAP Group (North East) Ltd - which is hoping to bring an eletrical waste recycling plant to the region - took home the High Growth and Ambition Award.
Jack Fincken, WEEE take back manager at GAP Group, said: “I’ve been with the company for three months and already I can see how determined and passionate everyone is here and this award win means a lot to every single person in the company.”
In the Newcomer of the Year category, interior design firm Rowen Homes - the brainchild of former Pink Boutique entreprener Alice Hall and her husband Andrew Hall - was revealed as winners, beating AR Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms and Talentheads.
Mr Hall thanked the Rowen team and said: “I feel we’ve capitalised on the opportunities that we’ve had but there is still so much to come - we’re really excited about it.”
Financial advisors Reeves Independent Limited beat MSK Sports Injury Clinic and Smart IT to take home the Services Award.
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The Newcastle firm’s commercial manager, Bill Brown, said: “The biggest thing for us is the clients - everything we do is for them. Our staff are equally important and we’ve put hours and hours into making sure this is a great place to work. We’re also working hard to encourage the next generation of talent because our industry needs the younger people to learn the skills to take it forward.”
And in the Small Business category, brick merchants McGovern & Co Ltd took home the title, beating FOOTY.COM and Kelly’s Heroes Private Tuition Ltd.
Andrew Pickersgill, managing director at the Gateshead-based business, said: “This win is testament to the whole team. We’ve changed a lot of the last 18 months and we’ve become more than just a brick company.”
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