Cherwell Business Awards are back and better than ever

Cherwell Business Award winners 2017 NNL-170905-133112001

Now in its seventh year the 2018 awards feature a new, streamlined online nominating and application process and introduces the Young Business Person of the Year category.

The award categories have also been slightly tweaked this year and do away with the Retail Award, Apprenticeship of the Year Award and Employer of the Year Award, streamlining the total number of categories from last years 10 to nine in addition to the overall winner.

Also new for this year is the Workplace Wellbeing Award.

Winners of each category and then the overall Business of the Year Award will be announced at a black tie event next May at Haythrop Park.

Headline sponsors of the event are once again Cherwell District Council with a number of category sponsors including Spratt Endicott, Bicester Village and Norbar Torque Tools.

Cllr Lynn Pratt, lead member for estates and the economy, opened the presentation followed by chair person of the organising committee, Placi Espejo, who outlined this years categories and detailed the ways to enter.

Past multiple category winner Mike Hawkins, group managing director of the Hawkins Group, then gave an inspiring speech on the reasons to enter.

Mr Hawkins said: “Being part of the awards and the success it brings has helped us as a business to become more successful.

He added: “Its given us confidence, its given us self belief and made us challenge ourselves further.

“The whole process of being involved in the awards over the last five years; the people we’ve met, friends we’ve made, the business we have acquired and our phenomenal growth is down to this spectacular journey we’ve been on. You have nothing to lose by entering.”

The 2017 Business of the Year winner Edd Frost and Daughters were also in attendance six months on from their triumph.

Mr Frost said: “I just wanted to come and support it again. It’s lovely to support these fantastic awards.

“We’ll be there in May, we will book our table.”

To find out more, nominate or apply visit the awards website.