Sussex Business Awards

The launch of the 2010 Sussex Business Awards took place last week at Fontwell Race Course.

Businesspeople from all over the county gathered to watch the inaugural Sussex Business Awards Stakes and to hear this year’s host, Nicholas Owen, declare: “They’re off!” for the twenty second Sussex Business Awards.

Click below to watch the video now!

Sussex Business Awards 2010 (Launch Promo) from webangthedrum TV on Vimeo.

Nicholas Owen is one of Britain’s best-known newsreaders and will host the award ceremony at The Grand in Brighton on 2 December. He welcomed sponsors, previous winners and finalists to Fontwell to celebrate the opening of the 2010 awards.

Sussex companies have until 27 August to prepare their applications for a chance to triumph at the most prestigious business awards in the county.

There are fourteen trophies up for grabs this year, including the prestigious Sussex Company of the Year and International Business Award, sponsored by some of the leading companies in Sussex. New sponsors this year include: BUPA International, Morgan Sindall, Lloyds TSB, Venture Finance, Wired Sussex.

They join existing sponsors Redseven, Deloitte, NHS West Sussex, Veolia Environmental Services, The Argus, Sussex Life, The Grand, Heart FM and Domestic and General.

One of the evening highlights was the appearance of broadcaster, Simon Fanshawe, who interviewed previous winner of the 2008 Small Business of the year, Focus4U, and entrepreneur of the year 2009, Paul Craig Showtec Lighting & Sound about what winning an award has meant to them and the success of their businesses over the last two years. He also spoke to the new chairman Martin Webb about what he was looking for in a winner.

Businesses young and old, large and small are invited to submit their nominations in up to three categories. There is a small entry charge of £50 for one award and £100 for three. The costs cover the administration of the scheme.

Lloyds TSB Commercial is the latest sponsor to back this year’s Sussex Business Awards.

Organised by Brighton-based PR consultancy Midnight Communications, the Sussex Business Awards celebrates its twenty-second anniversary in 2010 as the most prestigious award scheme in the county. Recognising all-round business excellence, the awards encompass an unprecedented spectrum of business achievement with a category for everybody.

Lloyds TSB Commercial provide banking services for a wide range of businesses throughout Sussex. This year it will be supporting the Best Small Business of the Year category.

Senior Business Development Manager, Steve Sadler, said: “We are proud to get behind the Sussex Business Awards. Having heard only good things about last year’s event, we were very keen to be involved this time around.

“With many small firms under pressure and struggling to recover from the recession, we have been holding a series of business seminars in Sussex to help our customers combat the difficulties of the economic environment and prepare them for the upturn. We want to be a part of the community, show support and celebrate the success of local businesses across the county”.

Lloyds TSB Commercial will join an established line up of top Sussex companies already sponsoring the awards, including Deloitte, Bupa International, Morgan Ashurst, Veolia Environmental Services and Domestic & General.

Caraline Brown, Awards Director, commented: “We are delighted to have Lloyds TSB Commercial involved with the Sussex Business Awards. By sponsoring this award, Lloyds TSB Commercial will achieve even greater exposure within the Sussex business community and further elevate the Awards’ profile, which has gone from strength-to-strength in recent years.”

The Sussex Business Awards has celebrated the best of Sussex business since 1988 and this year’s event will continue to evolve its accomplishments. Every year the Awards attract a volume of strong entries, from all corners of the business community, and 2010 promises to be no exception.

The 21st anniversary of the Sussex Business Awards concluded with a bang this evening as the winners of the 2009 Awards were announced at a glittering ceremony held at the Grand Hotel, Brighton. The event was attended by over 350 business representatives from across the region.

Drusillas Zoo Park was one of the big winners of the night. They were awarded with the prestigious title of Sussex Company of the Year, as well as the gong for Best Customer Service in Sussex. Recognised as the best small zoo in the UK, Drusillas has been part of family life in Sussex for many years.

However, it was FDM Group plc which received the greatest recognition taking home awards for International Business of the Year and Best Employer in Sussex. Rod Flavell, Managing Director of FDM Group plc, was honoured with the celebrated title of Sussex Businessperson of the Year. FDM Group plc is a £55m international IT services company, with a winning formula. A past Sussex Company of the Year and winner of numerous awards for excellence in training and computing.

Malcolm Diamond, chairman of the judges commented: “This evening’s ceremony demonstrates the breadth and scope of businesses that the region offers. Those honoured this evening are truly deserving of the titles with which they have been awarded.

“Rod Flavell at FDM Group plc has done an outstanding job over the last year and it is a privilege to be operating in a region of which they are part.”

Other winners on the night were:

Electric Hairdressing, Small Business of the Year, sponsored by Royal Mail.
Paul Craig from Absolute Brighton, Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by Redseven.
Theatre Royal Brighton, Award for Leisure and Tourism, sponsored by Midnight Communications.
Sussex Uniforms, Best New Business of the Year, sponsored by The Argus.
Brighton Body Casting, Creative Industries Award, sponsored by 021 Creative.
Family Investments, Business in the Community Award, sponsored by Sussex Life.
Propellernet, Healthiest Workplace Award, sponsored by NHS West Sussex.
Southern Water, The Training Award, sponsored by Kelta HR.
Pureprint Group, Award for the Most Sustainable Business, sponsored by Veolia Environmental Services.
Propellernet, Award for Innovation in Business, sponsored by University of Brighton.

For more information or press ready images, please contact:
Fiona Graves/Caraline Brown
Midnight Communications
Tel: 01273 666 200
Email: sussex@midnight.co.uk

 - Ends -

Notes to editors

The awards are fully administrated and managed by one of the south east’s leading independent PR agencies, Midnight Communications.

The Sussex Business Awards are supported by a range of local and national organisations including Deloitte, Royal Mail, Southern FM/ Heart, Redseven, The Grand Hotel, Midnight Communications, The Argus, 021 Creative, Sussex Life, NHS West Sussex, Kelta HR, asb law, Domestic and General, Veolia Environmental Services and University of Brighton. 

 The Sussex Business Awards 2009 winners

 
Sussex Company of the Year
Sponsor: Deloitte
Winner: Drusillas Zoo Park
Runner ups: FDM Group plc and Fittleworth Medical Ltd

The Small Business of the Year
Sponsor: Royal Mail
Winner: Electric Hairdressing
Runner ups: Access – by Design and Allwoods

The Entrepreneur of the Year
Sponsor: Redseven
Winner: Paul Craig, Absolute Brighton
Runner ups: Mark Woolley, Electric Hairdressing

The Sussex Businessperson of the Year
Sponsor: Heart
Winner: Rod Flavell, FDM Group plc

Runner ups:
Penina Shepherd, Acumen Business Law
Mark Woolley, Electric Hairdressing
Susan Fleet, Lea Graham Associates
Holly Heggadon, Sparks Yard General Store Ltd
 
The International Business of the Year
Sponsor: The Grand Hotel
Winner: FDM Group plc
Runner ups: Camillin Denny Architects Limited and Hughes Pumps Ltd

The Award for Leisure & Tourism
Sponsor: Midnight Communications
Winner: Theatre Royal Brighton
Runner ups: Drusillas Zoo Park and Southern Water

The Best New Business of the Year
Sponsor: The Argus
Winner: Sussex Uniforms
Runner ups: Crunch.co.uk and Brighton Body Casting

The Creative Industries Award
Sponsor: 021 creative
Winner: Brighton Body Casting
Runner ups: Shoal Creative Ltd and Southern Water

The Business in the Community Award
Sponsor: Sussex Life
Winner: Family Investments
Runner ups: Passington and Southern Water

The Healthiest Workplace Award
Sponsor: NHS West Sussex
Winner: Propellernet
Runner ups: Domestic & General Services Ltd and The Sussex County Sports Partnership

The Training Award
Sponsor: Kelta HR
Winner: Southern Water
Runner ups: Cathedral Works Organisation (Chichester) Ltd and Mid Sussex District Council

The Award for the Best Employer in Sussex
Sponsor: asb law
Winner: FDM Group plc
Runner ups: ADA Technology Services and Propellernet

The Award for the Best Customer Service in Sussex
Sponsor: Domestic & General
Winner: Drusillas Zoo Park
Runner ups: Acumen Business Law and Posture People

The Award for the Most Sustainable Business
Sponsor: Veolia Environmental Services
Winner: Pureprint Group
Runner ups: Brighton & Hove City Council and Morgan Ashurst plc

The Award for Innovation in Business
Sponsor: University of Brighton
Winner: Propellernet
Runner ups: Acumen Business Law and Nido Marketing

Award Winning Comedienne to Present Sussex Business Awards

Award winning comedienne, Zoe Lyons, has been recruited as the presenter of the Sussex Business Awards 2009 to be held next Friday 6 November at The Grand Hotel, Brighton.

Zoe is a regular ‘Mock the Week’ panellist and has won numerous awards including the Funniest Joke of the Fringe 2008, Best Newcomer Nominee Edinburgh 2007 and Nivea’s Funny Women Award 2004.

To celebrate twenty one years of the scheme winners will each receive a fantastic prize from regional Sussex businesses including Brighton Racecourse, Brighton Dome and Festival, Southern Water, Hilton Metropole, MyHotel, Treatment Rooms and Electric hair.

Why not join the party? Tickets cost £85 each (plus VAT) or £850 (plus VAT) for a table of ten and includes champagne reception, three course meal, with two bottles of wine on each table.  Following the awards there will be dancing to the jazz swing sounds of Hullaballoo (who played at Jamie Oliver’s wedding!)

Notes to editors

Fifteen awards will be made.  The judging panel included representatives from Deloitte, Heart FM, Redseven, The Argus, 021 creative, Sussex Life, asb Law, Domestic &General, Veolia Environmental Services, University of Brighton, Kelta HR, The Grand and the Royal Mail.

Chairman of the judges, Malcolm Diamond, said: “The quality of all candidates was excellent and represented a truly diverse and vibrant range of successful Sussex companies.  Our finalists proved themselves leaders in their fields and worthy role models of business best practice.”

September 8th, 2009

Entries to the Sussex Business Awards 2009 are now closed – and we can say that the judges certainly have a massive job on their hands!

Thank you to all those who entered this year’s awards. There has been a great amount of interest and support from the Sussex business community – from the largest to the smallest and the oldest to the newest.

Best of luck to all those who entered and we look forward to seeing you on the evening.

The SBATeam.

The launch of 2009/10 Sussex Business Awards got off to a great start on Monday 22 June at the Sussex County Cricket Ground.

This year celebrates the twenty-first anniversary of the county’s most prestigious award scheme and was marked by the launch of a new logo, new web site, new categories and new sponsors.

The reception was attended by many of the city’s leading businesspeople including councillors, sponsors, judges and last year’s winners and finalists.

Sponsors this year include Deloitte, Heart (the re-branded Southern FM). Redseven (winners of last year’ Entrepreneur of the Year), Kelta HR, Domestic & General, ASB Law, West Sussex PCT, Royal Mail, University of Brighton, 021 (creators of the new look), Veolia Environmental Services, The Grand Hotel in Brighton, The Argus, Sussex Life magazine and Midnight Communications the new Awards organisers.

The event will be held at the Grand Hotel, Brighton on Friday 6 November.  All finalists will receive a free place at the awards ceremony.

This year there will be fifteen awards.  New categories include:

    The Award for the Best Employer in Sussex sponsored by Asb Law

    The Healthiest Workplace Award sponsored by West Sussex PCT

    The Business in the Community Award sponsored by Sussex Life

    The Creative Industries Award sponsored by 021 Creative

    The Award for Leisure & Tourism sponsored by Midnight

The launch of 2009/10 Sussex Business Awards got off to a great start on Monday 22 June at the Sussex County Cricket Ground.

This year celebrates the twenty-first anniversary of the county’s most prestigious award scheme and was marked by the launch of a new logo, new web site, new categories and new sponsors.

The reception was attended by many of the city’s leading businesspeople including councillors, sponsors, judges and last year’s winners and finalists.

Sponsors this year include Deloitte, Heart (the re-branded Southern FM). Redseven (winners of last year’ Entrepreneur of the Year), Kelta HR, Domestic & General, ASB Law, West Sussex PCT, Royal Mail, University of Brighton, 021 (creators of the new look), Veolia Environmental Services, The Grand Hotel in Brighton, The Argus, Sussex Life magazine and Midnight Communications the new Awards organisers.

The event will be held at the Grand Hotel, Brighton on Friday 6 November.  All finalists will receive a free place at the awards ceremony.