Shortlist revealed for Hull and East Yorkshire Business Awards
SHORTLISTED INDIVIDUALS: Clockwise from top left, Luke Bottomley, Chloe Lawson, James Crumpton and Jak McLoughlin
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
Confidence in a successful new era for the Hull and East Yorkshire Business Awards has been fully justified with a surge in entries for 2024.
Organiser Simon Jones is delighted with the uplift, highlighted after judges got to work on narrowing down the field ahead of next month’s gala celebration.
In the first year since the baton was passed from Hull Live and Hull Daily Mail publisher Reach Plc to Simon - the entrepreneur behind the region’s Top 30 Under 30 leadership programme - he told how the number of nominations across the categories had increased.
“We are delighted by the response; it shows we have done the right thing,” Simon said. “It is testament to all the work that has been done throughout the years too. These awards are meaningful, people wanted to see them continue, and to see the numbers come in like they have is also a pat on the back for us for positioning it in the right way.”
Nominations closed on September 29, with a desktop judging session involving leading lights from the business community now complete.
“I am thrilled that we have managed to pull together some of the best people in the region to judge these awards. Having the right people in place with subject experience when it came to the categories just made sense,” said Simon, with expertise paired through the process.
Previous years had seen the winners also picked this way. However, in a second significant new step in addition to the onward development programmes being worked up for winners, judging site visits and interviews have been added ahead of November’s big night.
Simon said: “It is really important for the level of prestige these awards attract to get a real feel for the businesses vying for the honours. Award applications can become a well-versed art, but the owner operator driving success will always speak from the heart. We wanted to capture that as part of the assessment process.”
The need to go the extra mile is being rewarded with a special celebratory networking event later this month for finalists and award partners to mingle ahead of the ceremony itself. The gathering at Hull’s new Iron Lilies venue takes place on October 26, almost a month before winners are crowned at the city’s DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on November 21.
Tickets for the calendar highlight are now available, and priced at £85 per head, plus VAT, or £800 for a table, with city-born celebrity Debra Stephenson to host.
For further information and to purchase tickets, visit www.heybusinessawards.co.uk
The Hull and East Yorkshire Business Awards shortlist:
Start-Up Business of the Year (Less than two years old)
Daniel Alexander Motor Group Limited
Melton-based luxury used car dealership.
Laundry Box
Community launderette with operations in Hull and Cottingham.
Small Business of the Year (Less than 50 employees)
All Vision
Vehicle livery specialist based in Beverley.
Giant Bradley’s Sweet Shop
Market Weighton confectioner.
Wild Intervention Ltd
Youth support and outreach provider based out of Hessle.
Best Place to Work
City Health Care Partnership CIC
Provider of NHS community health and care services in the area.
Reckitt
Global health, hygiene and nutrition business founded in Hull.
Sadofskys
Chartered accountancy practice in Hull city centre.
Environmental and Sustainability Award
Ideal Heating
Hull-based boiler, heat pump and heating control specialist
John Good Group
Diversified transport, travel and logistics services provider based in Hessle.
KWL
Hull City Council’s building, repair and maintenance contractor.
Charity of the Year
Chasing Rainbows
Hessle-based pregnancy and baby loss support for Hull and East Yorkshire.
Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University
Creator of opportunities for children growing up in disadvantaged areas.
Tigers Sport and Education Trust
Using sport via Hull City to tackle health, youth crime and unemployment.
Innovation Award
Rubicon Bridge Ltd
Regulatory compliance specialist to the food supplement sector.
Think 360
Hessle-based software developer focused on productivity.
WJ Group
Specialist timber engineering and treatment operation in Hull.
Entrepreneur of the Year
Luke Bottomley
Director of James Ray Recruitment.
James Crumpton
Director of Laundry Box UK.
Paul Needler
Founder of iParcelBox
Team of the Year
Premier Modular
Brandesburton-based offsite construction specialist.
Wescot Credit Services
Professionally-regulated debt collection agency located in Hull.
Siemens Gamesa
Offshore wind turbine blade plant on Green Port Hull.
Large Business of the Year
Ideal Heating
Hull-based boiler, heat pump and heating control specialist
Reckitt
Global health, hygiene and nutrition business founded in Hull.
Soanes Poultry Ltd
Sustainable Middleton-on-the-Wolds chicken farming operation.
Growth Award
Accountancy Tuition Academy
Hull accountancy school.
Care Connection Partners
Healthcare recruitment agency based in Hull.
Good Travel Management
Corporate travel division of Hessle-based John Good Group.
Rising Star
Ben Fincham
Process and industrial engineer at Siemens Gamesa in Hull.
Chloe Lawson
Junior people advisor at John Good Group in Hessle.
Jak McLoughlin
Affiliate manager at Summit in Hull.
For the Outstanding Contribution / Lifetime Achievement Award, there is no shortlist for this special accolade, and the winner will be revealed on the evening.