A booming business that nearly doubled its revenue and employed 18 extra staff won the star trophy at the inaugural Hyndburn Business Awards.
At a glittering presentation evening a packed audience of more than 250 people filled the ballroom at Accrington Town Hall eagerly waiting to find out whose names would be on the trophies.
C-Mac Partnership Limited won the Stonehouse Logic Award for being the most inspirational business. A further 16 other awards were handed out along with many highly commended certificates.
C-Mac, based at The Globe Centre, Accrington, arranges more than 50,000 coach, minibus and taxi journeys a year and has secured lucrative contracts including one with Virgin Trains.
The company’s managing director Steve Turner said: “Although we are a UK-wide business our roots are in Hyndburn itself and we employ people from the local area.
“It has been a really good evening and we are looking forward to entering again next year.”
It is the third award the company has won following on from the Red Rose Award for Growing Business and the Specialist Company Award in the
Business Continuity Awards in London last week.
Operations and commercial director Pete Slater said: “We are proud of where we are from. This event can only get bigger and bigger.”
In just six months Rob Carder, from Enterprising People, turned the idea of a business awards in Hyndburn into a reality by getting the backing of a wide range of sponsors.
Rob said: “This first awards evening exceeded all our expectations. We were expecting 100-150 and we had 250. We had 200 nominations for 120 businesses.
“Thank you to everyone who has helped to make tonight possible and everyone who has participated. We will continue to hold the awards in 2017.”
Students from Hollins Technical College, Tamannah Begum and Isaac Bradshaw, designed the winning trophies and were presented with a duplicate copy by Hyndburn MP Graham Jones.
He told the audience how important it was to support local businesses because they were the backbone of the community.
The Accrington Observer provided media sponsorship and reporter Charlotte Green presented the Enterprising Person award to Evonne Harwood, who was responsible for the hugely successful Dickensian event on Warner Street last year and is now planning more activities.
MC for the evening was Radio Lancashire presenter John Gillmore, a delicious two-course meal was provided by students from Accrington and
Rossendale College and charming interval entertainment was provided by students from The Performance Academy.
Mayoress of Hyndburn Melanie Storey praised the organisers for introducing the ‘quality event’ to the borough and bringing the business community together.
Stonehouse Logic Award sponsored by Stonehouse Logic
Winner: C-Mac Partnership Ltd
Highly Commended: Haworths, Chartered Accountants and Rosslee Construction
Enterprising Person sponsored by Enterprising People
Winner: Evonne Harwood
Highly Commended: Adam Hartley, Marisa Bannan, Sophie Fitzpatrick
Food Business sponsored by Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall
Winner: Black Horse Food Emporium
Small Business sponsored by lovelocalnetworking
Winner: Gaffey Technical Services Ltd
Highly Commended: Bevlan Office Interiors Ltd
Sole Trader sponsored by Scott Dawson Advertising
Winner: Cheeky Duck Designs
Highly Commended: The Performance Academy
Large Business sponsored by Haworths, Chartered Accountants
Winner: Warrantywise
Highly Commended: C-Mac Partnership Ltd
Creative Business sponsored by Globe Enterprises
Winner: Hyndburn Arts Ltd and Ellison Printing
Tourism Business sponsored by Oswaldtwistle Mills Business and Conference Centre
Winner: Haworth Art Gallery
Highly Commended: Hyndburn Arts Ltd
Independent Retailer sponsored by North West Logistics
Winner: Garlands Florist Ltd
Microbusiness sponsored by Boundless Networks
Winner: Education Business Partnership (NW) Limited
Highly Commended: Acorns of Lancashire Ltd
Made in Hyndburn sponsored by Emerson and Renwick
Winner: Admagnetics
Highly Commended: Simon Jersey
Apprenticeship sponsored by Accrington and Rossendale College
Winner: Rosslee Construction
Highly Commended: C-Mac Partnership Ltd
Customer Friendly Business sponsored by The Cardboard Box Company
Winner: Hyndburn Homewise Society Limited
Highly Commended: BMS (Accrington) Ltd
New Business sponsored by Business Enterprise Trust
Winner: Moose Media Management Ltd
Highly Commended: Nursery End Garden Centre and The Oswaldtwistle Plumbing Supplies Ltd (T.O.P.S.)
Community Business sponsored by Community Futures
Winner: Accrington Stanley Community Trust
Highly Commended: Ynot Aspire
Employer of the Year sponsored by Metis HR Ltd
Winner: Townfield and Coach House Care Ltd
Highly Commended: Haworths Chartered Accountants and Rosslee Construction
Trophy Design and Make Competition
Winners: Tamannah Begum and Isaac Bradshaw
