Despite the difficulties of the past year, Derbyshire’s business industry has continued to support the local community with its dedication to the region and inspiring resilience.

Intent on shining a light on these efforts, the , in association with has a diverse portfolio of awards to hand out to well-deserving businesses and entrepreneurs. From those supporting the next generation of workers and the new start-ups creating waves in their industry, to the family businesses developed over the years and the established businesses worthy of Company of the Year, the event is designed to celebrate Derbyshire’s finest.

Live at the Derby Arena on Thursday, October 21, the exciting awards ceremony will bring together our business community for a night of celebration.

This year’s headline sponsors are , , , and . To find out more, visit the For tickets, contact Michelle Roberts, .

The finalists of the Professional Services Award, sponsored by , have demonstrable strengths in service excellence, business growth, innovation, technology, training and personal development. This category covers a wide range of professional services, including legal, financial, retail, hospitality and general services, to name but a few.

The Professional Services Award finalists are:

Ask The Chameleon

Ask The Chameleon helps businesses of all sizes develop and grow by writing bids and tenders for contracts and funding. It takes care of all elements of the process, working with clients to agree on a plan and providing high-quality written applications to specific needs, enabling businesses to expand and grow.

Each bid is written and enabled with the sole intention of a victory and awards entries are written with the same intention: a win for the client. Ask The Chameleon has spent several years working with business owners, companies, charities, arts and other voluntary organisations across all business sectors. This experience means the company can provide applications that adhere precisely to the aims of clients and reflect their business ethos.

Rhodes Wealth Management

Rhodes Wealth Management specialises in pension planning, protection, legacy planning and investments. It works closely with clients to forge a plan for success, security and protection of wealth that will also provide for future generations.

It helps prepare for every financial eventuality to provide clients with peace of mind, particularly when they are under pressure from life-changing events such as bereavement, divorce or planning for retirement. Through quality, integrity, and excellence, it has become a source of trusted advice to clients as their financial needs evolve over the years. It looks to create a long-term relationship with clients to help them achieve their life goals.

Timms Solicitors

Timms Solicitors has been established since 1892 and has more than 125 years of experience of providing advice and guidance for clients. It specialises in providing high-quality legal advice and support to private clients and businesses.

Timms Solicitors puts clients at the heart of what it does and is committed to providing a comprehensive, professional legal service. Its reputation is built upon understanding the detail of a client's needs, helping them to achieve the best result for their circumstances. A key part of its process is to provide clear, unambiguous advice twinned with creative ideas to problems that require innovative solutions.

The categories are:

Company of the Year

SME Business of the Year Sponsored by

Start-Up Business of the Year Sponsored by

Business Entrepreneur of the Year Sponsored by

Employer of the Year Sponsored by

Customer Service Excellence Award

Professional Services Sponsored by

Excellence in Innovation Award Sponsored by

Contribution to the Community Award Sponsored by

Family Business of the Year Sponsored by

Apprentice Employer of the Year Sponsored by

Not-For-Profit-Organisation Award Sponsored by

Education Sector: Business Engagement and Employability Sponsored by

Best Digital Transformation Sponsored by

Excellence in Manufacturing Award Sponsored by

Excellence in Business Growth Sponsored by

  • The will take place on Thursday, October 21 at the Derby Arena. To find out more information, visit the
  • For tickets, please contact Michelle Roberts, .