LEADING businesses from across Cheshire are celebrating after winning prizes at the prestigious High Sheriff’s Awards for Enterprise.
The winners were announced at a special ceremony and dinner held in the Molloy Hall at the University of Chester.
Founded in 2006 by former High Sheriff of Cheshire and now Lord Lieut for Cheshire, David Briggs MBE, the Awards for Enterprise are judged on categories including: Innovation; Corporate Social Responsibility and Enterprise. Entrants are also required to explain how they will ensure their company will continue to grow.
Guest speaker was Malcolm Walker CBE, founder and CEO of Iceland Foods Ltd, one of the region’s high profile businessmen.
Guests at the event were welcomed by the university’s vice-chancellor Prof Tim Wheeler and Prof Phil Harris, executive dean of the Faculty of Business, Enterprise and Life Long Learning and holder of the Westminster Chair of Marketing and Public Affairs at the University of Chester.
The High Sheriff of Cheshire, Diana Barbour, said: "We have had some exceptional entries this year and given the extremely challenging trading conditions, to see such a diverse group of businesses that are all prospering is quite remarkable, not to say hopeful, for the future for us all."
First place in the High Sheriff’s Awards for Enterprise, with a free place for one of its employees on the Chester Business School’s MBA valued at £10,000, is Click Consult, a leading internet marketing and web development agency. Since 2003, Click Consult has been practising expert marketing and technical techniques for hundreds of businesses worldwide. It employs more than 60 search engine marketing professionals with offices in Hooton, Cheshire and London.
MD Matt Bullas, said: "I’d personally like to extend my thanks and warmest gratitude to everybody who’s helped get Click Consult to its current level."
Highly commended was Amita (UK) Ltd an award-winning IT support company, based in Middlewich. It provides computer support, development, services and robust technologies to the business community. Using tried and trusted solutions from industry leading IT suppliers, it has vast experience in deploying cost-effective and manageable IT in the workplace.
The winner of the £3,000 Bank of America Award for Corporate Social Responsibility was The Petty Pool Trust, College and Outdoor Centre, based in Sandiway. The centre runs residential experiences for young people with learning disabilities, mainstream schools, colleges, teacher INSET days and corporate businesses from the UK and Europe.
Peter Evans MBE, CEO of The Petty Pool Trust, said: "This prestigious award is in recognition of the many years of hard work and dedication from the staff at the trust."
Highly commended was Applewood Wealth Management which is based in Chester and Oswestry. It offers a wide range of high quality wealth management services to businesses and individuals. With over 900 clients and many millions of pounds of funds under management, it is one of the UK’s leading wealth management organisations and was awarded a Best Investment Adviser Award 2009.
Winner of the £3,000 Mornflake Oats Awards for Innovation was GSD, Graham Shapiro Designs of Nantwich. GSD’s areas of experience include advertising, brochures, catalogues, corporate identity, marketing, newsletters, newspapers, packaging, presentations, PR, stationery and websites.
MD Graham Shapiro, said: "I’m proud and honoured to have received this prestigious award. Highly commended in this category was Certero, a specialist software vendor of Software Asset Management and PC Power Management solutions. Based in Warrington, with offices in Australia and South Africa, Certero delivers innovative solutions to help organisations remove complex processes to drive efficiencies in its IT investments.ŠCertero’s clients are drawn from across the public and private sectors and its solutions have enabled organisations to cut C02 emissions and save thousands on licensing expenditure.Š
Prof Phil Harris said: "It’s fantastic to see so many innovative businesses doing well in Cheshire and being showcased by the High Sheriff’s Awards. It is very heartening to be surrounded by such talent and hard work at this event."
The Awards prize fund was made possible thanks to significant contributions from sponsors including Barclays Bank, Bank of America, Bolesworth Estate, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Flowcrete, Halton BC and Mornflake.
