‘It was a night to remember’ was how one guest described the showcase event that unveiled this year's winners of the SoGlos Gloucestershire Business Awards 2022 and celebrated all those shortlisted too.
More than 300 guests gathered for the invitation-only evening at the University of Gloucestershire’s Business School at its Oxstalls campus in Gloucester for the awards ceremony and networking on Thursday 20 October 2022, made possible by co-headline sponsors Hazlewoods and Willans LLP solicitors.
Just to have made the shortlist from 382 entries was a feat in itself according to the judges, who also had the no less difficult task of choosing the winners (see a full list below), revealed on the night by compere, BBC presenter and reporter Steve Knibbs.
James Fyrne, managing director and co-founder of SoGlos, said: ‘When we launched these awards we wanted them to be special; to capture the dynamic spirit of the Gloucestershire business community; to create a unique platform on which to celebrate their many achievements.
‘We would like to thank our prestigious sponsors, partners and the businesses that have supported us and entered the awards and made that vision possible.’
Michelle Fyrne, group editor and co-founder of SoGlos, said: ‘When you look at what the county - and nation - has been through in recent years, taking this time to step back and reflect of what these businesses, teams and individuals have achieved is so important – you just can’t help but be inspired.’
Chris Wills, corporate partner at Willans LLP solicitors, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2022, said: 'Last night’s awards ceremony was a fantastic opportunity to come together to celebrate the Gloucestershire business community.
'With so many inspiring individuals and companies in our county, we were delighted to be co-headline sponsors and be part of showcasing the stories, challenges and successes of the winners and finalists. On a personal level, I really enjoyed meeting those who attended and raising a glass to our collective achievements over the past year.'
Ryan Hancock, a director in Hazlewoods’ corporate services team, said: 'The SoGlos Gloucestershire Business Awards has provided a great opportunity for businesses to come together and celebrate their successes.
'We have been a proud co-headline sponsor this year and have been pleased to see the wealth of businesses, and particularly new names, throughout the nomination and judging process.
'In what is looking like further challenging times for us all ahead, it is important to remember that we have a strong and supportive business community in Gloucestershire that is worth celebrating.'
Representatives from the headline sponsors and the sponsors of all the awards came together to not just make the annual event possible, but to form the judging panel which chose the final winners.
And neither would it have all happened without our special partners, Oasis Events, Neptune Rum, Wild Pizza Company.
See a full list of all of the winners and finalists below, and click here to see a full gallery of images from the night.
SoGlos Gloucestershire Business Awards 2022 results
New Business of the year
Sponsored by Montrose Group – montrose-group.co.uk.
Winner: PACE Manufacturing Ltd
Yanis Lewis, a director at Gloucester-based PACE Manufacturing, said: ‘It really is fantastic. We are honoured.’
Andrew Knight, director at PACE Manufacturing, said: 'It is great for us, for such a young business, to be recognised like this. We really did not expect it.’
Finalists:
AccXel Ltd
Fleet Electric Leasing Ltd
Montpellier Legal
Topaz Luxe Ltd
Most Innovative Business of the year
Sponsored by Hartpury – hartpury.ac.uk.
Winner: DPS Designs
Sebastian Down, director of Coleford-based DPS Designs, who came to the
stage with commercial director Fanzi Down, said: ‘This means a lot. To be
recognised in such esteemed company and then to win – a little company from the
Forest of Dean like us – it is amazing.’
Finalists:
Cirencester Fabrication Services
Duku
Golden Valley Development
Loop BI
The Protrack Group (Protrack Solutions Limited)
Growth Business of year
Sponsored by The Growth Hub – thegrowthhub.biz.
Winner: Core to Cloud ltd
Kelly Allen, chief marketing officer at Cirencester-based cybersecurity specialist Core to Cloud, said: 'It is fantastic to win like this. We are a relatively new business – only about six years old – but
we have grown massively. This is a huge privilege. This is for our staff who
have made this possible.’
Finalists:
Atlas Camps
Farrar & Tanner
Kalex Films Ltd
Stewart Golf Ltd
Family Business of the year
Sponsored by QuoLux – quolux.co.uk.
Winner: Cotteswold Dairy Ltd
Roger Workman, chairman of Cotteswold Dairy and son of its founder, Harry Workman, said: 'It feels great to win. We are a fourth generation business now. We still have the same ethos we started out with – to do the right thing an do it well. This means a lot.'
Louise Woodward, director of Cotteswold Dairy and granddaughter of the founder, said: 'While it is recognition of us being a family business, our success and the award is about the staff. We have such a great team. It means so much be able to share this with them.'
Finalists:
Gloucester Carpet Outlet
Hobbs House Bakery
K W Bell Group
Printwaste Recycling & Shredding
Green Business of the year
Sponsored by Ecotricity – ecotricity.co.uk.
Winner: for peat's sake!
George Davies, from Tibberton-headquartered peat-free compost firm 'for peat’s sake', said: ‘It is great too win. It is just such
a big boost. At the moment, this business is really only me, so it is great to
get encouragement like this and to know other people think what we are doing is as good
as we do.’
Finalists:
Freeman Homes
Howard Tenens Logistics Ltd
Simply Washrooms
Stroud Brewery
Best Place to Work of the year
Sponsored by Brunsdon Financial – brunsdonfinancial.co.uk.
Winner: Gloucester City Homes
Charlie Morefield, head of people, culture and communications at independent housing association Gloucester City Homes, said: ‘We are completely blown away. We really did not expect to win. It is tough at the moment and hard work, but we are looking to recruit and grow and having an award like this is massive.’
Finalists:
FD Works
Lanes Health
Radioactive
Savient Limited
Wagada Digital
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Sponsored by Target – target-group.co.uk.
Winner: Tidal Training Direct Ltd and Public Hearts Cheltenham Defibrillator Campaign
Clare Seed of Tidal Training Direct and Public Hearts Cheltenham Defibrillator Campaign, said: 'I am really so proud to be part of this community, and to be able to do something for it. We now have 34 defibrillators and there are going to be more. I am over the moon this has been recognised. ’
Finalists:
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Hooray
ProCook plc
Savient Limited
The Cotswold Cup CIC
Customer Excellence Award
Sponsored by Nimble – nimble-elearning.com.
Winner: Bamboo Technology Group Limited
Kevin Harris, managing director of Cheltenham-headquartered ICT solutions firm Bamboo Technology Group Limited, said: ‘To win this is the pinnacle for us. We talk about customer service all the time; every day. It is what we do. So this is for our staff. It is recognising what they do.’
Finalists:
Bennetts Coaches Ltd
Direct Online Services
Smart Home Sounds
Workplace Interiors Co
WSP Solicitor
International Business of the year
Sponsored by Barclays – barclays.co.uk.
Winner: ALS Mechatronic Ltd
Laura Steward, chief operating officer of Cheltenham engineering firm ALS Mechatronic, which specialises in bespoke factory automation and control systems, robotics, and vision inspection equipment, said: ‘I think we can’t quite believe this. It is a real vote of confidence for
us. We have a really, really good team who make all this happen, so this is for
them.’
Finalists:
CloudTamers Ltd
DPS Designs
Stewart Golf Ltd
Wildlife World
Entrepreneur of the year
Sponsored by University of Gloucestershire – glos.ac.uk.
Winner: AccXel Ltd - Nicola Bird
Nicola Bird, founder and managing director of Forest of Dean-based construction school AccXel, said: ‘To come from where we have
come from and to be here tonight and to win… I am elated. It is so good to work
with my sister (Natalie Bell), with the family business, with such a good team. All of them have made this possible.’
Finalists:
for peat's sake! - George Davies
J.LUXE.FIT - Jordan Tuck
ORNA Inc. - Martyn Gill
Toddle - Hannah Saunders
Employee of the year
Sponsored by GB Solutions – gbsolutions.co.uk.
Winner: Cheltenham BID - Belinda Hunt
Belinda Hunt, from Cheltenham BID, the town's business improvement district group, said: 'It is fantastic to be recognised. It is great to be in a job that you really love and where you can be really passionate about all of the organisations you work to represent.'
Finalists:
Bamboo Technology Group Limited - Candice de Klerk
Room 58 Ltd - Emma Grazier
St Edward's, Cheltenham - Mrs Pat Hemming
Wagada Digital - Tzara Marriott
Team of the year
Sponsored by ReformIT – reformit.co.uk.
Winner: SLG Brands
Jon Dee, marketing director for Cheltenham-headquartered SLG Brands, said: ‘This has been a year of
change. Staff have been working hard to not just change but transform what they
do so the focus is on TikTok. They have all got it and it is delivering and
bringing results. They are exceptional. This is for them.’
Finalists:
Aquascape swimming pools ltd
Dashing Duck Marketing
The Fireplace Gallery Cheltenham Ltd
WSP Solicitors
Heritage Business of the year
Sponsored by Hewer FM – hewerfm.co.uk.
Winner: Hobbs House Bakery
Sam Wells, purchasing director at Hobbs House Bakery, said: ‘As a business we have
been around for a long time, since the 1920s. So you could say this has been a work in progress for some time. We are thrilled to be recognised.
But really, this is for our staff. We have a brilliant team that makes us what we are.’
Finalists:
Cattle Country Farm Park
Cleevely Motors and Cleevely Electric Vehicles
Lanes Health
Markey Group
Business Leader of the year
Sponsored by Gloucestershire County Council – gloucestershire.gov.uk.
Winner: ProCook - Daniel O'Neill
Daniel O’Neill, founder and chief executive officer of Gloucester-based ProCook, said: ‘We have had a great year, but this is
amazing – because this comes from the people who put us where we are today.
That means a lot.’
Finalists:
Forge Motorsport - Peter Miles
Gloucester Brewery ltd - Jared Brown
Radioactive - Angharad Planells
The Cheltenham Trust - Laurie Bell
Young Business Leader of the year
Sponsored by Green Gourmet – greengourmet.co.uk.
Winner: Severnside Security Ltd - Kane Lewis
Kane Lewis, managing director of Gloucester-based Severnside Security, said: ‘It is just incredible the
support Gloucestershire gives its businesses! To win, to get recognised, is
really important for me, but I would not be here without our team. They got us to
where we are.’
Finalists:
AccXel Ltd - Nicola Bird & Natalie Bell
Hexe Digital Ltd - Anya McKenna
Nutrition X - James Markey
Salus Cyber - Jason Kalwa
Apprentice of the year
Sponsored by Gloucestershire College – gloscol.ac.uk.
Winner: Gloucestershire Engineering Training - James Ashly
James Ashly, an apprentice with Gloucestershire-based Gloucestershire Engineering Training, said: ‘I
feel great. It feels really good and I feel really proud. From where I have
come from I am so grateful to be here. For my company to recognise something in
me and encourage me is fantastic.’
Finalists:
HR People Support - Hope Ward
Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing UK Ltd - Karim Ali
Optimising IT - James Rodgers
Stagecoach - Matt Hyatt
Public Sector Excellence Award of the year
Sponsored by Roberts Limbrick – robertslimbrick.com.
Winner: Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
John Trevains, a director of nursing therapies and
quality at the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘It is really great to be recognised. This is for the 5,500
staff who worked so tirelessly and continue to do so, to deliver so much care for our community and those
we love.’
Finalists:
Cheltenham Borough Council
Forest of Dean District Council, Regeneration Department
Gloucestershire Libraries
Start and Grow Enterprise
Stroud District Council
Micro Business of the year
Sponsored by Business Furniture Direct – business-furniture-direct.co.uk.
Winner: Cleevely Motors and Cleevely Electric Vehicles
Matt Cleevely, of Cheltenham-based Cleevely Motors and Cleevely Electric Vehicles, said: ‘It
is fantastic too win and to work in a business that is recognised for what it
does. We work really hard to deliver for our customers and enjoy every minute
of it and this will only inspire us to work even harder and continue to develop what we do.’
Finalists:
Bolthole Retreats
Fire & Flow Coffee
Kalex Films Ltd
Non Solo Pasta Ltd
PACE Manufacturing Ltd
Small Business of the year
Sponsored by HR Star – hr-star.co.uk.
Winner: Hooray
Richard Arthur, founder of Cheltenham-headquartered Hooray Recruitment, said: ‘I am delighted. We are so grateful to win this. Its brilliant.’
Ian Moriarty, operations director, said: ‘This is a testament to our team. They work so hard to make us what we are. This is for them.’
Finalists:
Brace Creative Agency
Core to Cloud ltd
duku
Salus Cyber
Stewart Golf Ltd
Medium Business of the year
Sponsored by 16i – 16i.co.uk.
Winner: Bamboo Technology Group Limited
Kevin Harris, managing director of Cheltenham-based Bamboo Technology Group Limited, said: 'To win two awards in one night is just incredible. To be recognised by our peers, by the county we work in, means a lot and is testament to the incredible hard work our staff.'
Finalists:
Atlas Camps
Hobbs House Bakery
WSP Solicitors
Large Business of the year
Sponsored by Evans Jones - evansjones.co.uk.
Winner: ProCook plc
Daniel O’Neill, founder and chief executive officer of Gloucester-based ProCook, said: ‘It has been a really testing few
years, but we have achieved so much. It is amazing to be here and to be recognised
for what we have done by people in our county makes it all special.’
Finalists:
Cotteswold Dairy
Direct Online Services
KW Bell Group
Markey Group
Business of the year
Sponsored by Willans LLP – Willans.co.uk – and Hazlewoods – hazlewoods.co.uk.
Winner: Cotteswold Dairy
Louise Woodward, director Cotteswold Dairy, said: ‘Our aim is to be at the heart of a sustainable agricultural community, that includes our staff, farmers, customers, and to be there for one another. This award is only going to encourage us.’
Roger Workman, Roger Workman, chairman of Cotteswold Diary, said: ‘We have such loyal staff. They work so hard and work so well together. There is no ‘them and us’, we are all working together.’
