A group of 12 inspiring North West companies have been honoured by the Federation of Small Businesses at an awards ceremony in Manchester.
The FSB’s North West Celebrating Small Businesses 2023 awards took place at The Edwardian Hotel on Friday, March 3.
Chosen from dozens of finalists and out of hundreds of entrants overall, the winners were revealed by awards host, television and radio presenter Andy Crane.
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They will now have the chance to be crowned º£½ÇÊÓƵ Small Business of the Year at the national final in Birmingham on May 18.
BusinessLive publisher Reach plc is media partner for the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards, which celebrate entrepreneurial success across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ.
The winners include four businesses from Cheshire: there were celebrations again for Congleton-based Thermark, which won Exporter of the Year for the second year running after being voted top international business in 2022.
In addition, the Weston Biltong Company Ltd was named Family Business of the Year, Self Employed / Freelancer of the Year is Chris Garland Training, Knutsford, and Chester’s Innovative Energy Consultants bagged the Sustainability Award.
Greater Manchester also provided four winners: Start-Up Business of the Year is Positive Planet, based in the city centre, Sale’s B-Compliant scooped Micro Business of the Year and the Business Product and Innovation Award was won by Social Sense Ltd, in Salford. Box Power CIC in Bolton won the Community Award.
There were three winners from Lancashire: Young Entrepreneur of the Year is James Calderbank / Transform Hub Group in Preston, Lune Valley Pods in Heysham won the Service Excellence Award and the Diversity and the Inclusion Award by Ability Consultancy (NW) Ltd, in Preston. OEE Container Technology Ltd in Carlisle, Cumbria, was named as Larger Small Business of the Year.
FSB North West regional chair Holly Bonfield said: "Many congratulations to the winners of this year’s FSB North West Celebrating Small Business Awards.
"They are the heartbeat of our economy and deserved to be championed at today’s celebrations in Manchester.
"There was such a strong field of amazing entrants so all the finalists and everyone who entered deserve the utmost recognition as leaders of innovation, tenacity and vibrancy that characterises our small business community."
Paul Wareham, North West policy representative, added: "FSB works hard, locally as well as nationally, supporting our members and representing small businesses at every level of government. I salute them and it’s a pleasure to be able to recognise and applaud their achievements.
"It’s been thrilling to see so many North West businesses enthusiastically take part in our awards and the sheer scale and diversity of those who entered is a testimony to the vitality of the small business community. Best of luck to all our winners for the º£½ÇÊÓƵ national award finals in May."
The full list of FSB North West Celebrating Small Business Award winners 2023:
Start-Up Business of the Year (sponsored by Cashplus Bank)
Winner: Positive Planet, Manchester
Micro Business of the Year (sponsored by Tyl by Natwest)
Winner: B-Compliant , Sale, Greater Manchester
Young Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Salford Business School / University of Salford)
Winner: James Calderbank / Transform Hub Group , Preston, Lancashire
Family Business of the Year (sponsored by Aldermore)
Winner: The Weston Biltong Company Ltd , Weston, Cheshire
Larger Small Business of the Year (sponsored by The Arch Company)
Winner: OEE Container Technology Limited, Carlisle, Cumbria
Service Excellence Award (sponsored by GC Business Growth Hub)
Winner: Lune Valley Pods , Heysham, Lancashire
Business Product and Innovation Award (sponsored by GC Business Growth Hub)
Winner: Social Sense Limited, Manchester
Sustainability Award (sponsored by HSBC º£½ÇÊÓƵ)
Winner: Innovative Energy Consultants , Chester
Self-employed / Freelancer of the Year
Winner: Chris Garland Training , Knutsford, Cheshire
Exporter of the Year
Winner: Thermmark Ltd, Congleton, Cheshire
Diversity and Inclusion Award
Winner: Ability Consultancy (NW) Ltd, Preston, Lancashire
Community Award
Winner: Box Power CIC , Bolton, Greater Manchester
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