For 20 years now, the EDP Business Awards have been recognising the best in the business in our region - and last night Further was handed the award for Best New Business.
The very well organised event, sponsored by Harley-Davison for the first time, saw the biggest entry and some of the stiffest competition for many years according to EDP Business Editor Paul Hill, despite a year of economic recession, which bodes well for the region for 2010 and beyond.
As for the Best New Business Award, the three finalists could not have been more varied. Right Angle Events, finalists already in national business award schemes, have created an excellent and quite unique business based on Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) events, both for the corporate and educational sectors. The Pigs, meanwhile is a new Public House and restaurant with a difference. Set up by well known local chef Richard Hughes and recognised for its innovation in the food sector, its offering goes far beyond simply serving great food, by providing opportunities for the local community, young and old, to engage in the growing and cooking of high quality food.
We were delighted, therefore, when Further was called forward to accept the award, followed, of course, by the on-stage live interview with TV presenter Stewart White, who did a fantastic job on the evening.
"To be recognised as the Best New Business in our area across all sectors means a great deal to us at Further" commented Co-Founder and Director of Operations Zak Ireson. "We won a marketing award for online effectiveness earlier in the year to demonstrate the results we gain for clients, but this one is a recognition of our business as a whole - our business vision, culture, management, performance - so it is especially gratifying."
"We know we deliver for clients, and that we have an exceptional team, but it is always appreciated when a panel of expert business judges gives you acknowledgement of that. We're thrilled"
Thanks go to the EDP, Mary Rudd PR, Harley Davison, the Production Bureau and the Hilton Hotel for putting on what is the big event in the region's business calendar.