SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
Winners 2024
Apprentice of the Year
Sponsored by Purple Pebble People
The “Apprentice of the Year” award recognises exceptional contributions by apprentices within our business community. To be eligible, nominees must have successfully completed a relevant qualification as part of their apprenticeship in the last two years or are currently studying. Judges consider factors such as outstanding achievement, commitment to personal development, safety awareness, and positive impact on the workplace. Demonstrating how their learning directly applies to their role is essential.
Business Growth Success Story
Sponsored by The Nostell Estate
Small and Medium businesses are the engine of British business and many are growing despite economic conditions and the changes to international trade. Has your business grown despite all the challenges of the past few years? Whatever the size of your organisation – whether it’s run from your spare room or you have offices and hundreds of staff – if you have beaten the odds to deliver growth, we want to know what has made you so successful.
Collaboration of the Year
Sponsored by Clear Workplace
Have you successfully worked with other businesses from the Wakefield district to create an amazing collaboration? How have you added value to one another’s offer, or how have you helped a local business to even more success? This award will recognise the ways in which we are more than the sum of our parts. Tell us about how the collaboration came about, and how both/all parties have benefitted.
Digital/Creative Business of the Year
Sponsored by Tileyard North 
The Wakefield district has a well-deserved reputation for being a creative and digital hub, being home to a diverse range of businesses which fall into that sector. If your business is a creative or digital one and you’ve done amazing things, use this category to tell us all about it. From gaming companies to music schools, creative agencies to copywriters, through to artists and artisans, we want to showcase the wide range of incredible creative talent Wakefield has to offer.
Doing Good in Business
Sponsored by Prosper Wakefield District
Businesses should be responsible citizens too. This award will be presented to the company with the best corporate social responsibility plan, relative to its size. You don’t have to donate thousands to charity or try to save the world, you just have to be doing your bit to make it a better place. If there’s a link between your activities and your business, even better. Maybe you’re volunteering for a charity close to your heart. Perhaps you’ve given some of your skills for free to a cause that deserves the support. You could have done brilliant work on sustainability and be well on your way to slicing your carbon footprint in half.
You’ll need a plan, a reason why you’ve chosen to do what you do, and a way to demonstrate how you’re making a difference to impress the judges.
Employee of the Year
Sponsored by Elis
Do you employ an absolute star? Can you not imagine what it would be like without them? Have they done amazing things to help the business stay on course, grow, or even offer new products or services? You don’t have to tell us about flashy achievements – unless you have these kinds of examples. Just tell us how your employee is indispensible, and quantify the difference they’ve made to your business. We will not accept self-nominations for this category – the nomination MUST be submitted by the EMPLOYER not the employee.
Micro Business of the Year – businesses with 0-9 employees
Sponsored by The Alternative Board Wakefield District
Micro businesses rock too! So this category is dedicated to people working in the smallest of small organisations, with up to nine people on the payroll. (You are also able to enter the Wakefield business of the year category, but this one is just for you!)
Tell us about how you are small-but-mighty. Name-drop as much as you want (or are able to) and help the judges understand why you’re making a huge impact with a small team. If you’ve had a year to remember, delivered a stand-out project, or just think you and your team deserve your moment in the spotlight, this is your opportunity to show the whole business community why micro businesses are not to be under-estimated.
New Business of the Year
Sponsored by Thornton Jones Solicitors
Few things are as tough as starting a new business. Open to people and companies set up since 9 September 2021, we want to know your story of success. Where did you get your business idea? What’s different about what you do, or how you do it? What does the future hold for your fledgling business? Excite the judges with insight into your amazing new business and help us showcase the fabulous talent our district has to offer.
Not-for-profit/Charity of the Year
Sponsored by OE Electrics
We need our third sector more than ever as issues with the cost of living still have us firmly in their grasp. Not for profit organisations fulfil an incredible need, supporting the most vulnerable and providing essential as well as enriching services. If your organisation is voluntary, not for profit or a registered charity, this is the category for you. THIS CATEGORY IS FREE TO ENTER.
Small Business, Big Impact – Supply Chain Hero
Sponsored by HGF Ltd
Does your small business (fewer than 250 employees) work with huge brands, PLCs or international organisations? SMEs play a critical role in the supply chain of larger organisations, providing specialist skills, expertise or products that they couldn’t function without. This is your chance to showcase – confidentially of course – the incredible client list you have, even if your business looks from the outside like it’s just a few people in a small office.
Team of the Year
Sponsored by RV2 Power Ltd
Teams competing for this award should showcase tangible outcomes. Highlight how your team’s efforts have positively influenced the company or organisaton’s success, growth, or strategic goals.
Describe how your team worked together to overcome obstacles or challenges. Whether it was a complex project, a tight deadline, or unexpected setbacks, emphasise your team’s resilience and problem-solving abilities.
Remember, winning the Team of the Year award is not just about individual achievements; it’s about collective excellence, synergy, and shared success.
Wakefield District Business of the Year 2024
Sponsored by Quest Waste Management
Is your business a cracker? Are you bursting with pride at what amazing things you do and want to tell the world (well, all of Wakefield at least)? If so, this is the category for you. However you define your greatness, judges will be looking for evidence to match the story. You could have won amazing new clients, opened new locations, taken on new people, or had an incredible year for any other reason. Make sure the judges know why this is your year!
Wakefield District Employer of the Year
Sponsored by Vision Independent Financial Advisors Ltd
Are you a truly outstanding employer? Have you listened to your people and created terms, conditions and an environment which truly helps them to thrive? Are you inclusive, flexible and understanding that people can’t totally switch off what’s going on at home when they come to work? Show us why you are head and shoulders above the rest and should be named employer of the year.
We Are Wakefield Member of the Year
Sponsored by Myerscough Developments
Open exclusively to We Are Wakefield members, this category will be judged across all entries received in the above categories and gives all We Are Wakefield entrants the chance to further celebrate their achievements. Maybe you’ve created growth during tough economic times, or turned around a struggling organisation. Whatever your story of triumph, you will be entered into this category with the chance of being named Member of the Year.
