Headline Sponsors for 2023: 
THE WAKEFIELD BUSINESS AWARDS – WINNERS 2023
Almost 300 people attended the 2nd annual Wakefield Business Awards by We Are Wakefield on 9 November, sponsored by Wakefield First.
The awards had been put together by WAW MD Claire Sutherley DL & Awards Writers Founder Louise Turner, to celebrate thriving SMEs from across the District, and the night itself, hosted at Tileyard North, didn’t disappoint.
With 38 finalists from all corners of the district across categories including growth, new business, sustainability, best employer, community contribution, and supply chain heroes, the trophies were hotly contested.
ITV’s Christine Talbot anchored the night, which saw Simul Digital take home two trophies – for New Business of the Year the We Are Wakefield member award, which was given to the member entry with the highest number of points across all categories. The Prince of Wales Hospice also took two awards for Independent Retail or Hospitality Business of the Year and Not For Profit/Charity of the Year.
We Are Wakefield’s Managing Director Claire Sutherley said: “We believe in championing Wakefield District 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. It was through this rigorous process that we achieved Outstanding in the Awards Trust Mark Accreditation. The competition was fierce and simply making the list of finalists was a huge achievement in itself.”
Thank you to Headline Sponsors, Wakefield First and Supporting Sponsors Juice Personnel & Solupak.
The winners on the night were:
Business Growth Success Story
Sponsored by Action Coach Wakefield
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.
2023 WINNER:
Collaboration of the Year
Sponsored by Thornton Jones Solicitors
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.
2023 WINNER:
Creative Business of the Year
Sponsored by Tileyard North
The Wakefield district has a well-deserved reputation for being a creative hub, being home to a diverse range of businesses which fall into that sector. If your business is a creative 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 artesans, we want to showcase the wide range of incredible creative talent Wakefield has to offer.
2023 WINNER:
Employee of the Year
Sponsored by Trinity Walk
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.
2023 WINNER:
Bluebird Care Wakefield and Kirklees – Janice Hislop
Independent Retail or Hospitality Business of the Year
Sponsored by Experience Wakefield
As large chains pull out of our high streets, towns and city centres, independent retail and hospitality has a crucial role to play in keeping communities alive. Whether you run a market stall, a pub, coffee shop, gallery or gift shop, we want to hear from you if you’re independently owned. Tell us all about how you curate your menu or stock to appeal to your customers and what you’ve done to keep people coming back and shopping local.
2023 WINNER:
Not-for-profit/Charity of the Year
Sponsored by Quest Waste Management
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.
2023 WINNER:
Outstanding Community Engagement
Sponsored by Prosper Wakefield District
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.
2023 WINNER:
Frickley Athletic Community Foundation
Small Business, Big Impact – Supply Chain Hero
Sponsored by Awards Writers
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.
2023 WINNER:
Hey Safe Cleaning Solution Ltd T/A RZ-Clean-Seal
Thinking Sustainability
Sponsored by Elis
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.
2023 WINNER:
New Business of the Year
Sponsored by RV2 Power Ltd
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.
2023 WINNER:
Wakefield District Employer of the Year
Sponsored by Community Foundation:Wakefield District
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.
2023 WINNER:
Wakefield Business of the Year
Sponsored by HGF Limited
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!
2023 WINNER:
We Are Wakefield Member of the Year
Sponsored by Myerscough Developments Ltd
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.
2023 WINNER:
