THE WAKEFIELD BUSINESS AWARDS – WINNERS 2022
More than 130 people packed the room at the inaugural Wakefield Business Awards by We Are Wakefield on 10 November, sponsored by Wakefield First.
The awards had been put together by WAW MD Claire Sutherley & Awards Writers Founder Louise Turner, to celebrate thriving SMEs from across the district, and the night itself, hosted at the sparkling CAPA College, didn’t disappoint.
With 31 finalists from all corners of the district across categories spanning growth, new business, sustainability, best employer, community contribution, and innovation, the trophies were hotly contested.
ITV’s Christine Talbot anchored the night, which saw Solupak take home two trophies – for Thinking Sustainability and the We Are Wakefield member award, which was given to the member entry with the highest number of points across all categories.
We Are Wakefield’s Managing Director Claire Sutherley said: “We had this crazy idea of setting up some awards earlier in the year because we really believe in championing Wakefield businesses and providing a platform for them to show off their amazing work.
“It was incredible to listen to so many success stories and hear the judges’ comments about our worthy winners.
“We worked hard to create a really robust process with every entry judged three times and scores kept separate, so all of the winners can be really proud of their achievement.”
Thank you to Headline Sponsors, Wakefield First and Supporting Sponsors Juice Personnel & Solupak.
The winners on the night were:
Innovative Business of the Year Award
Sponsored by Spawforths
Have you done something that’s truly different? Have you invented something, created a new business model, or totally transformed your business? We’re looking to showcase the innovation within the Wakefield district, so tell us about your amazing ideas, your unique inventions, and your never-seen-before ways of doing things. Make sure you outline the impact the innovation has had on the success of your business to wow the judges.
2022 WINNER:
Entrepreneur of the Year
Sponsored by Zest Business Support
Have you made a real impact in business? Have you built or transformed a business, or created a unique proposition? We’re seeking stories of vision, leadership, and success; of calculated risks and grasped opportunities; of resilience in the face of challenge, and of humility when new information suggests your original idea wasn’t the right one. It’s not the size of your business that matters, but the size of your ambition.
2022 WINNER:
Chelsy Holland – True Beauty Academy
Business Growth Success Story – Small / Medium / Large
Large Business – Sponsored by Jenkar Shipping Limited
Medium Business – Sponsored by Copperwire Creative
Small Business – Sponsored by Thornton Jones Solicitors
Small businesses are the engine of British business and many are growing despite economic conditions and minor external factors like a global pandemic 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.
We will give out three awards for this category to recognise the differences in practice, scale and achievements that should be expected of different sizes of business.
2022 WINNER – LARGE BUSINESS:
2022 WINNER – MEDIUM BUSINESS:
2022 WINNER – SMALL BUSINESS:
Thinking Sustainability
Sponsored by Wakefield College
With climate emergencies declared by councils across the UK, including here in Wakefield, running a business with respect for the environment has never been more important. How have you developed sustainable business practices? Has thinking sustainably become integrated into your business model and what benefits has that created? We’re looking for examples to show others how you can be both successful in business and operate sustainably.
2022 WINNER:
Outstanding Community Engagement
Sponsored by Haribo
This award will celebrate organisations which develop strong relationships with their communities. Tell us how you’ve identified the right people to engage with or activities to undertake, how you’ve built those strong bonds, and what difference that’s made for everyone involved. Whether you’re a small charity supporting local people, or a business with a strong CSR program, we want to hear your success stories.
2022 WINNER:
Frickley Athletic in the Community
Wakefield District Employer of the Year – Small / Medium / Large
Large Employer Sponsored by The Myerscough Charitable Trust
Medium Employer – Sponsored by Clear Workplace
Small Employer Sponsored by Mint HR
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 will give out three awards for this category to recognise the differences in practice, scale and achievements that should be expected of different sizes of business.
2022 WINNER – LARGE BUSINESS:
2022 WINNER – MEDIUM BUSINESS:
Bluebird Care Wakefield & Kirklees
2022 WINNER – SMALL BUSINESS:
New Business of the Year
Sponsored by Ad:Venture
Few things are as tough as starting a new business. Open to people and companies set up since 16 September 2020, 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.
2022 WINNER:
We Are Wakefield Member of the Year
Sponsored by Nostell Estate
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.
2022 WINNER:
