The Chief Executive of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce has paid tribute to the BIBAs 2021 finalists, saying it’s one of the best group of finalists its judges have ever seen.
The BIBAs, which is organised by the Chamber, takes place on Friday, September 17, and will see over 1,000 of Lancashire’s business community attend its star-studded annual awards ceremony at Blackpool Tower.
Over 140 businesses will compete for 20 awards.
Speaking on the calibre of finalists, Babs said: “The feedback from the judges has been outstanding. Many found it a real struggle to pick a winner and many have said the finalists are some of the best they have seen in a long time.
“It’s been great to see brands of all sizes get involved from Booths Supermarkets to the start-up community.
“Seeing the calibre of finalists, their stories, their people and progress gives me the utmost certainty that we can look forward with confidence as a county. It has been a privilege to be involved in these awards and to have so many local business people come together to celebrate our world-class Lancashire business community.”
Babs also admits she was nervous when launching BIBAs 2021 back in January over whether businesses would have the energy to enter after a difficult 18 months.
She added: “When we started the BIBAs 2021 campaign in January, the word ‘celebration’ wasn’t the first word on our lips when looking back over a challenging 12 months.
“But that quickly changed. Having witnessed energy of our sponsors, the demand for entries and tickets, read many wonderful business stories and seen how our resilient Lancastrians have risen to the challenge, we knew this would be a successful year.
“The awards ceremony is all about celebrating our spirit, skills, people, families, partnerships, innovation and determination, all of which have enabled our businesses, people and economy to come through what has been arguably the toughest 12 months in our generation.
“While we have to pick 20 winners, every finalist is a champion for how they have dug deep and performed over the last 18 months.”
Team BIBAs cannot wait to celebrate with finalists, winners, and sponsors, this Friday at the magnificent Tower Ballroom.
The finalists:
Apprentice of the Year
- Kayleigh Turner – Burtons Foods
- Hayley Bielby – Alexander Grace Law
- Chloe McIlwaine – Training Works (NW)
- Ellie Wright – Suresite Group
- Michael Martin – Breathe Therapies
- Lucy McIntosh – Intalinks
- Ross Brown – Melling Performance Springs
- Thomas Norman – Greenbank Technology
Start Up Business of the Year
- Alexander Matthews Property
- E4-3D Engineering
- Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing
- Home Heat Care
- Let’s Abode
- RV Pure Clean
- Scoff Paper
- The Waterside Dental Clinic
Most Resilient Business of the Year
- Barry Robinson Leisure – The
- Longland Hotel
- Connect 2 Cleanrooms
- Group 55
- Mike England Timber
- Roccia
- Rossall School
- The Anderton Centre
- The Fun Experts
Global Business of the Year
- Barron Wood Distribution
- BMP Europe
- Burtons Foods
- HOOFCOUNT
- Levity Crop Science
- Nextday Freight
- Standfast & Barracks
- YourZooki
Digital & Marketing Business of the Year
- Blue Wren
- Code Galaxy
- Digital KOG
- Door4
- Glasgows
- Learn Live
- Soap Media
- Think Creative UK
Employer of the Year
- Active Lancashire
- Alexander Grace Law
- Bespoke Healthcare
- Connect 2 Cleanrooms
- Forsberg Services
- Matrix Platinum
- RoamingExpert.com
- Service Care Solutions
Green Business of the Year
- Chocolat Madagascar
- Crowberry Consulting
- Energyace
- Evans Vanodine International PLC
- Hackings Holiday Home Park
- Levity Crop Science
- Old Holly Farm
- Rapid IT
Family Business of the Year
- Becketts
- Booths
- Evans Vanodine International PLC
- Key Engineering & Hygiene Supplies
- Pinington Limited
- Roccia
- The Pork Shop Group
- The Senator Group
Most Innovative Business of Year
- AET Global Group
- BMP Europe
- Extreme Low Energy
- Gel-clear
- Levity Crop Science
- Mitigate Cyber
- Panaz
- Vital Life Nutraceuticals
Manufacturer of the Year
- BMP Europe
- Cherrytree Bakery
- Evans Vanodine International PLC
- Group55
- Nutree Life
- Panaz
- Sirocco Fires
- Standfast & Barracks
Micro Business of the Year
- Catering Elite
- Freight Negotiate
- HOOFCOUNT
- Next Goal Wins Apparel
- Ribble Technology (Preston)
- Specialist Taxation Services Europe
- The MINA Group
- Wynne Business
Construction Business of the Year
- Connect 2 Cleanrooms
- David Cox Architects
- Elektec
- Fox Brothers Holdings
- M Group
- Pinington
- RP Tyson Construction
- StormMeister Flood Protection
Education Establishment of the Year
- Applecast
- Blackpool and The Fylde College
- Ingol Community Primary School
- Myerscough College
- Preston Vocational Centre
- Rossall School
- Runshaw College
Community Business of the Year
- Advocacy Focus
- Business in the Community
- Jobs, Friends and Houses
- Living Waters Storehouse
- Pendleside Hospice
- St Catherine’s Hospice
- The Sewing Rooms
- Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care
Service Business of the Year
- Attock Network Products
- CUBE HR
- Door4
- Hays Specialist Recruitment
- Matrix Platinum
- Mitigate Cyber
- Paisley Training and Consultancy
- Rotherham Taylor
Small Business of the Year
- Alison Handling Services
- Group55
- Nextday Freight
- Nutree Life
- Nybble IT
- SR Supply Chain Consultants
- Training Works North West
- Vital Life Nutraceuticals
Medium Business of the Year
- Alexander Grace Law
- Cherrytree Bakery
- Connect 2 Cleanrooms
- Connect Childcare
- Fox Brothers Holdings
- KAYS
- Panaz
- Roccia
Scale Up Business of the Year
- ECO Surv
- Group55
- Lantei
- Levity Crop Science
- Rosetta Brands
- Sales Geek
- YourZooki
Business of the Year
- Alexander Grace Law
- Booths
- Burtons Foods
- Connect 2 Cleanrooms
- Fox Brothers Holdings
- Panaz
- Roccia
- The Senator Group