The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 47: Feb/March 2020 | Page 5

BUSINESS NEWS
South West Business & Community
Award Winners Announced
The winners of Great British Expos’ South West Business
& Community Awards 2020 were announced at a glittering
ceremony on Thursday 23rd January at Swindon’s
DoubleTree Hilton hotel.
Over 250 guests attended the event that celebrates the
region’s most ambitious, inspirational and exciting charities
and individuals.
The awards recognise a wide cross section of
entrepreneurs and innovators, highlighting those blazing a
trail in their respective industries.
Alec Jones-Hall, organiser of the awards, said, “We
have winners from across the South West which speaks
volumes for the reach of the awards. We have winners from
Plymouth, Bath, Swindon, Bristol, Cheltenham and Torquay.”
Judges of the awards include serial South West
entrepreneur James Phipps, property millionaire Roslyn
Bell, and Anita Jaynes, Founder of The Business Exchange.
THE SOUTH WEST WINNERS 2020
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY
Clean our Patch, Plymouth
Judges’ Comments: “To organise 20 volunteer groups with
30 ambassadors to pick up over 65 tonnes of litter is an
incredible impact. A great example of local people coming
together to have a huge impact on a local issue.”
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Joint winners: Shirley Ludford, Swindon 105.5 Community
Radio Station and Steve Whiteway, Plymouth community
champion
Judges’ Comments: “Impossible to split two people who
have dedicated their lives to their local communities but in
different ways.”
CHARITY OF THE YEAR
Harbour Housing, Cornwall
THE LEISURE & TOURISM AWARD
BookingLive, Bristol
NETWORKER OF THE YEAR
Lee Randall, Pybus (Devon Partnership)
Judges’ Comments: “To connect 200 businesses in four
months in Devon and with plans to keep going was so
impressive to us all.”
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
Leanne Finch, Sixways Surgery, Cheltenham
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Ben Lawton, Ottr Works, Swindon
Judges’ comments: “Ben comes over as a talented and
driven young entrepreneur, achieving £100K turnover in
the first full 12 months, making personal sacrifices along
the way.”
FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Sophia Ali, Amma Life, Bristol
Ben Lawton, Ottr Works
Winner of Young Entrepreneur of the Year
MALE ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Aaron Cash, Finish Electrical, Paignton
START-UP OF THE YEAR
Bespoke Hub, Torquay
SME OF THE YEAR
SMD Ltd (Structural Metal Decks Ltd), Poole
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
Joint winners: Excalibur Communications, Swindon and
Rocketmakers, Bath
Judges’ Comments: “It was too difficult to decide between
these two worthy winners. They have both demonstrated
their huge commitment to their staff and creating positive
working environments.”
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Rocketmakers, Bath
Judges’ comments: “Recent winner of the Queen’s Award
for Enterprise and a major grant from innovate UK should
ensure they hit their target of 50 per cent growth. They
clearly demonstrated their passion to engage in the
community and help young people into coding.”
Unique to the South West Business & Community Awards,
all profits raised from the awards ceremony are donated to
selected charities.
To find out more about the awards visit:
www.southwestbusinessawards.co.uk
Shirley Ludford, Swindon 105.5 Community Radio Station
Lifetime Achievement Award winner
Ruth Lambert,
FSB Local Development Manager
Emma Carter, Excalibur Communications, collecting Employer of
the Year Award, presented by Gold Medallist - Derek Redmond
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THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2020
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