NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

The Northamptonshire Business Awards are always a highlight in the county’s calendar and the 2022 awards evening was certainly no exception Bringing together the very best of Northamptonshire, the event was a celebration of our extraordinary community, a showcase of its diverse talent and the perfect opportunity to reconnect with all our colleagues and friends
For our amazing finalists and winners, it really was a night to remember!
Watching the excitement as they each collected their awards was wonderful – a moment in which the endless hard work, commitment and determination it takes to launch a successful business finally paid off, earning them the recognition they so richly deserve My heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of them
I would also like to take a moment to thank our sponsors, our host, John Griff, the staff at the Park Inn, the incredible Chamber team and all of you for making our awards night so special
In this special supplement we’ve captured all the best moments from the evening – the fun, the laughter and even the tears - as well as the inspiring stories behind each award
I hope you enjoy it, and we look forward to welcoming you to the Northamptonshire Business Awards 2023
Louise Wall
Northamptonshire Chamber and Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive
Sponsored by
The 2022 Northamptonshire Business Awards ended with a brand-new award, chosen and presented by Northamptonshire Chamber president Robyn Allen
The President’s Award was introduced to recognise an awesome human being in Northamptonshire, who has done something exemplary in the last 12 months
After a suspenseful video in which guests were invited to guess who the recipients might be, the winners on the night were Beccy Hurrell and Lindsey Atkins of Beccy Hurrell Voice & Arts
Beccy Hurrell is the founder and Lindsey Atkins the director of the award-winning business Beccy Hurrell Voice & Arts (BHVA) and the pair work tirelessly to use the arts to break down barriers, empower, and build confidence in their students BHVA strives to be person-centred in all their coaching
Shocked and tearful on lifting the trophy, Beccy, who also performed Rise Up at the awards ceremony, said: “For us it is all about the people we work with We hope we understand everyone we work with and want people to be seen for who they are Everyone deserves to be seen ”
She said of her right-hand woman, Lindsey: “We’ve got the same values, but we look at things through different lenses ”
And Lindsey agreed, adding: “We just get each other The woman is like my other half ”
The pair repeatedly thanked Robyn and Wilson Browne for all their support and encouragement
Robyn said of the duo: “They are the epitome of the awesome human being They do so much for the community, for their students and for each other They are everything I was looking for in my first President’s Award winners ”
They are the epitome of the awesome human being
Robyn Allen, Northamptonshire Chamber president
Sponsored by
Trilogy Active, formally known as Northampton Leisure Trust/Trilogy Leisure, was established to provide wellbeing opportunities and has developed its service to support the prevention agenda, delivering intervention programmes and supporting its customers Trilogy provides opportunities for the whole family, from a comprehensive under fives programme through to the well attended 50 plus programme A real cradle to grave approach to supporting holistic wellbeing
Established April 2011, as a not-for-profit charity and social enterprise, Trilogy is a Wellbeing organisation and since inception has delivered considerable savings and social value in Northampton
Northampton Town FC Community Trust is the official charity of Northampton Town Football Club We use the unique appeal of the football club to deliver activities that connect communities and improve people’s lives From crime awareness workshops to tackling loneliness, our work is more than just football
We support over 6,000 people every year, delivering 30+ different projects covering four themes: Education & Employability, Disability & Inclusion, Health & Wellbeing and Sports
Participation The past three years have seen extensive growth for the charity, innovating through the pandemic to meet the need, tripling in size and expanding our reach to support even more people across Northamptonshire
The highly respected Northamptonshire Health Charity was presented with the Charity of the Year Award, beating stiff local competition to the title.
The worthy cause supports local NHS hospitals and community services across the county, making things better for patients, their families and the staff who treat them Northamptonshire Health Charity provide funding for the latest equipment, innovative research, state of the art facilities and all the little extras that make someone smile Their
invaluable work makes a huge difference to local families
The award, sponsored by Business Times, recognised dedication to helping the community through incredible support services
Alison McCulloch, head of fundraising at Northamptonshire Health Charity, said: “I’m overwhelmed I can’t believe we won It means so much, not just to our charity team but to all the teams we support in the NHS and to all our generous donors It is amazing to be recognised for the difference we make ”
“ ” Judges comments’
Sponsored by
20/30
20/30 Labs is a UKAS accredited environmental and clinical microbiology testing laboratory (No 4236) in accordance with ISO 17025, established in 2005 to perform microbiological analysis and research into hospital decontamination Today we work nationally, and globally, specialising in infection prevention and control, with healthcare at the heart of our service Our expertise includes microbiological analysis of waters, decontamination of medical devices, and more recently clinical screening and wastewater surveillance to support the national response to the global Covid pandemic ‘More than a test result’ portrays our mission: we strive to support our customers with bespoke and innovative solutions, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes
It has been an incredible couple of years for the team at Global Health Tests who were thrilled to win the prestigious award for Best International Trade Business of the Year.
Since launching in 2019, Northamptonbased Global Health Tests has set the healthcare sector alight by offering revolutionary home-to-lab products and services The team delivers a high level of service and is backed up with the expertise of their board, clinical leadership team, certified and accredited laboratories and an 'excellent' rated customer support team The tests, which include food intolerance tests, empower people with information to
understand more about their body and to make informed decisions
Over the course of the past two years, the company has continued to thrive, leading to partnerships with a number of successful global brands
Speaking after receiving the award, Carl Raven, founder of Global Health Tests, said he was delighted with his team’s success
He said: “We didn’t enter this award last year so to win this year is a huge achievement for the whole team It’s just fantastic
“It’s no mean feat taking on an international expansion so to win this award really means everything to us ”
It’s great to be recognised for the work that you do. It’s also really important for customers and partners to see your work recognised for being best in class.
Judges’ comments
Paradigm Shift Consulting is an award-winning ISO 9001:2015 accredited consultancy providing training and quality management services to the pharmaceutical industry based in Northamptonshire, servicing clients worldwide
With over 340 years of combined experience our team of industry leading consultants can help you obtain or retain a pharmaceutical wholesale distribution authorisation, write/revise standard operating procedures, carry out risk assessments, offer quality assurance support, Responsible Person services, mock MHRA inspection, site audits, remediation for failed quality systems, ISO 9001:2015 accreditation and provide Cogent Assured Training We are proud to be a family focussed, culturally, ethnically and ability diverse company
Consultant services within the built environment have changed The requirements of scheme delivery now extend far beyond bricks and mortar; we have to deliver projects now with a view to safeguarding the environment for generations 24/Three was set up to deliver projects with conscience, design with efficient flair and to leave a positive imprint on clients and the locality through our work As partners we strive to build conscious relationships with clients, designers, and other consultants We value the ability to interrogate your deliverables; our job is to understand your vision and needs, then to deliver on your requirements
The highly regarded Workplace Wellbeing Award was presented to a digital learning creation company who place great importance on team culture
Spokes Education were delighted to scoop the prize, which recognised their commitment to the health and wellbeing of their team and the nurturing environment they have created for their employees to thrive and succeed
Their office pets, three cute dogs and a cat, were the object of numerous coos during the ceremony as they featured on screen
For Spokes Education director Phil Spokes, the Workplace Wellbeing Award, which was sponsored by CommSave, was the one he most coveted
He said: “Out of all the awards, this is the most important one for me To make sure the team are happy and they are happy to be a part of our business is key It is amazing to be recognised for how we look after each other
“I think we won because we don’t just do things to help with wellbeing, it is something that is embedded in the culture of the business ”
We are really passionate about seeing all the great work that Northamptonshire businesses are doing to support their staff in this area business.
” Judges’ comments
Sponsored by
Beccy Hurrell Voice & Arts Limited uses the Arts to break down barriers and build confidence
Whether you are looking to take up an art form for the first time or looking to get back into work Our mission is to inspire, nurture and develop creativity within each individual we work with Celebrating each success along the way ensuring everyone who engages with us finds moments of joy in themselves and their journey Stay Amazing!
Haus of HR is the award-winning home of HR consulting and recruitment services We provide leading people solutions to SMEs and start-up businesses, ensuring they have solid HR foundations enabling them to grow and thrive through their people By delivering bespoke employee wellbeing, development and engagement programmes, we assist employers in attracting and retaining top talent This results in a reduction of employee turnover and absenteeism, while boosting productivity and profitability Being a trusted HR partner means we ensure businesses deliver an enviable employee experience to become an employer of choice
It was an emotional evening for the team at Dunore Utility Connections who were named Best New Business of the Year Director, Tim Carroll described the company’s win as ‘validation’ adding that collecting the award was a huge achievement
Wollaston-based Dunore Utility Connections was founded in 2021, with the aim of creating a UK-wide one-stop shop for companies wanting to arrange new utilities including electricity, gas, water and telecommunications
Using accredited suppliers, the team at Dunore take the stress out of any project, using their knowledge, skills and expertise to navigate an otherwise fragmented industry
Since launching last year, Dunore has seen exponential growth and developed a strong reputation for being a trusted partner to many of the UK’s construction and development companies
Project manager Nicki York said: “We are over the moon to receive this award It has been a really emotional time for everyone We are a really close, united team and this means the world to all of us ”
Judges’ comments
The Northamptonshire Business Awards are a great opportunity for businesses to raise their profile in the business community, in the county, and beyond. We also think it’s really important for businesses to celebrate their successes.
Sponsored by
Competitive Edge is an award-winning provider of differentiated learning & development experiences We passionately believe that your people are your competitive edge We help organisations improve business performance through behaviour and culture change We do this by creating optimal learning environments, especially through challenging and fun experiential learning We are experts in sales team effectiveness, leadership and management development, team dynamics, graduate development, coaching, and people assessments We are proud to be trusted by some of the world’s leading brands
Trilogy Active, formally known as Northampton Leisure Trust/Trilogy Leisure, was established to provide wellbeing opportunities and has developed its service to support the prevention agenda, delivering intervention programmes and supporting its customers Trilogy provides opportunities for the whole family, from a comprehensive under fives programme through to the well attended 50 plus programme A real cradle to grave approach to supporting holistic wellbeing Established April 2011, as a not-forprofit charity and social enterprise, Trilogy is a wellbeing organisation and since inception has delivered considerable savings and social value in Northampton
A public relations firm which specialise in working with UK charities, social enterprises and not for profit organisations was named West Northamptonshire Business of the Year. Pilkington Communications, who are based at Delapre Abbey, pride themselves on serving the third sector and diversified their business in order to do so The award recognised their hard work in successfully working with the business community, growing their business and providing exceptional customer service Unfortunately, the Pilkington Communications team were unable to attend the awards ceremony as director Jessica Pilkington was on holiday in New York Delapre Abbey CEO Richard Clinton accepted the award on her behalf He said:
“Pilkington Communications have pivoted, solely working with organisations that have a purpose and put people first They are absolutely brilliant and they are so deserving of this award Jessica has helped so many people ”
Jessica said: “We are an unapologetically small but proudly mighty public relations, digital marketing and communications agency and we are absolutely over the moon to have been recognised with this brilliant award
“We are passionate about helping the notfor-profit sector with their journey towards digital transformation and the need is there ”
Jessica also took home the coveted Business Person of the Year award on the night, much to her delight
Businesses and the success of local businesses is one of the most important thing for our area. Without the prosperity of local businesses we have nothing. It’s a foundation to the success and happiness of the people living in Northamptonshire.
Judges’ comments
Sponsored by
Ryan Stewart -
123 Internet Group
Ryan is one of our senior client partnership managers at 123 Internet Group, in addition to being our SEO lead and a five per cent shareholder within the business Ryan’s first interaction with 123 Internet was actually on the client side, where he engaged with us on behalf of his placement year company Fast-forward three years and Ryan is now an integral part of the team, having had tremendous success both within the business and as an individual, which is largely due to his can-do attitude and amazing work ethic
Health and safety innovator James MacPherson celebrated being named Young Business Person of the Year alongside his wife, Sherry and paid tribute to her for her continued support.
Health and safety expert, James walked off with the Young Business Person award in recognition of the success of his business, Risk Fluent, which started off as a podcast just four years ago
Since then, the health, safety, fire and culture consultancy based in Wellingborough
has continued to grow with James continuing to rebrand safety one interaction at a time Speaking just moments after collecting his award, James said: “I’m still shaking! I honestly can’t believe I have won!
“This means a great deal to me personally, but is also recognition for the whole health and safety profession and our businesses who do so much amazing work ”
Posing for pictures alongside his wife Sherry, James said: “I couldn’t have done any of this without her, she’s been amazing ”
The university wants to see the full potential of every individual, especially young people. We’ve got a number of key change maker commitments. One is to see young people flourish and the other one is to make sure the county is recognised for it’s entrepreneurial nature. This award combines both these elements
” Judges’ comments
Sponsored by
HR Solutions is a multi -award-winning HR company, established in 2001 to provide expert outsourced HR, Payroll and Health and Safety consultancy and support to businesses With a Head Office in Kettering, Northamptonshire, HR Solutions operates in a variety of industries and has a client list that ranges from small care agencies to multi -national technology fi rms Its consultants have extensive experience in the HR and Health and Safety sectors and have the ability to resolve any workplace issues that may arise For more information, go to www hrsoluti ons-uk com or follow HR Solutions on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook
Since launching in 2019, our Northampton-based company has grown to become the number one global online, allergy, intolerance and sensitivity company We operate in 26 countries with over 10,000 new customers every month We are dedicated to looking aft er our customers’ health & wellbeing through our range of health tests and nutrition based meal plans, with access to our medical advisory board, team of BANT registered nutritionists and seven-day a week customer care team We continue to challenge ourselves in order to achieve new levels of service excellence and help our customers make life changing improvements to their health
The ever-important excellence in customer service was celebrated when Big Bear Trailers scooped the Customer Commitment Award, sponsored by Qoob Group.
Big Bear Trailers & Outdoor is a family run business based in Oundle Northamptonshire which offers a wide range of trailers for sale, as well as hiring and servicing
Director Ian Simpson said: “Winning the award is just absolutely fantastic news! Our customers are at the heart of our business, but we could not do any of it without the superb team at Big Bear Trailers and this recognition is for each of our team members - they are all brilliant!
“From the outset of the business our focus has been on offering quality products
delivered with fantastic service and to receive this award, is just the icing on the cake and reaffirms our customer feedback that we are doing the right things!”
Due to other commitments, the Big Bear Trailer team were unable to attend the awards ceremony, so Northamptonshire
Chamber vice president Reemesh Patel collected the award on their behalf
Ian said he will ensure his team have another celebration night to show them his appreciation
He added: “A big thank you to the Chamber and all the judges and well done to all the fantastic businesses who were shortlisted ”
Customer commitment is a crucial thing in business, particularly in the last couple of years, as we’ve gone through some difficult times. It is important and interesting to hear what businesses have actually done to innovate and be a little more customer orientated.
Judges’ comments
Paradigm Shift Consulting is an award-winning ISO 9001:2015 accredited consultancy proving training and quality management services to the pharmaceutical industry based in Northamptonshire, servicing clients worldwide
With over 340 years of combined experience our team of industry leading consultants can help you obtain or retain a pharmaceutical wholesale distribution authorisation, write/revise standard operating procedures, carry out risk assessments, offer quality assurance support, Responsible Person services, mock MHRA inspection, site audits, remediation for failed quality systems, ISO 9001:2015 accreditation and provide Cogent Assured Training We are proud to be a family focused, culturally, ethnically and ability diverse company
Competitive Edge is an award-winning provider of differentiated learning & development experiences We passionately believe that your people are your competitive edge We help organisations improve business performance through behaviour and culture change We do this by creating optimal learning environments, especially through challenging and fun experiential learning We are experts in Sales Team Effectiveness, Leadership & Management Development, Team Dynamics, Graduate Development, Coaching, and People Assessments We are proud to be trusted by some of the world’s leading brands
A footwear company that specialises in creating stylish, affordable shoes and boots for people with wider feet or conditions such as diabetes and arthritis, walked away with the Small Business of the Year award.
Rushden-based DB Wider Feet Shoes is continuing to grow, in spite of the cost-ofliving crisis, by offering high quality leather shoes which are affordable and long-lasting The company, which is run by the Denton family, works alongside other shoe retailers, podiatrists and foot health practitioners to help solve shoe problems for their clients It recently launched its Autumn/Winter 22 collection online
Department manager, Helen Denton, collected the award alongside her husband David, who runs the company with his twin brother, Charles
She said: “We are so surprised – it is very unexpected – but we are absolutely delighted!
“This is an award for everyone who needs help to find wider fitting shoes and all those who experience foot problems We are delighted we are able to create stylish shoes on their behalf
“It’s also a great tribute to the whole team based in Rushden ”
We all started somewhere and it ’s typically at the small end. It is important to support these companies and where possible, help them go on to develop and become bigger businesses.
Judges’ comments
Sponsored by
Sean Maher is CEO at hireful, where he leads the company in working towards their goal of being the UKs most helpful recruitment company Starting as Graduate Account Manager in 2006, Sean quickly worked his way up through the Sales team – thanks to his commercial savviness and ability to think creatively to solve clients’ recruitment problems Sean works particularly closely with the team of account directors, supporting them in selling hireful’s recruitment software As well as this, Sean is very much focussed on promoting an inclusive, friendly, fun, and engaging company culture and building relationships with other businesses in the local community
Food for Thought is born from my passion to improve the environment and wellbeing in a joyful way It’s the result of a dark time in my life suffering from postnatal depression aft er the birth of my daughter I was terrified by plastic pollution and the state of the planet but there weren’t any refill shops locally and that seemed like a great way to cut household waste So, I created it It’s not just about plastic but living a life more fulfilled, supporting local and being part of a tribe The recognition of reaching the finals means that all this hard work despite lockdowns, Brexit and supply issues since we opened in 2020 is for something and I’m not doing too bad a job!
A popular PR expert, who has diversified her business offering to meet the needs of our local community, was overjoyed to be named Business Person of the Year
Jessica Pilkington, of Pilkington Communications, was elated to win, although was unable to attend the awards ceremony because she was holidaying in New York
In her absence, Richard Clinton of Delapre Abbey, where Pilkington Communications have their offices, collected her trophy
Richard said: “I think Jessica has shown real inspiration and determination to pivot and change the direction of her business She is totally driven by making a difference in the community ”
The award, which was sponsored by the Learning and Skills Academy, recognised Jessica’s impressive impact within the Northamptonshire business community and her relentless drive in creating opportunities and helping the local economy
Jessica, who was watching the winning announcement via video link from the top of the Empire State Building, said: “I feel on top of the world I am absolutely delighted to be named Business Person of the Year and would like to thank everyone who has supported me, cheered for me and trusted me to do what I do best – shout about our incredible business community I’m so proud to be from Northampton and to do what I do every day ”
Tony Knaggs, managing director of sponsor Learning and Skills Academy CIC, said: “Jessica showed vision, determination and a dedication to her business which I found really illuminating and invigorating in today’s times, when risk taking isn’t at the top of people’s agendas All respect to Jessica and I hope she gets lots of support in all that she’s trying to achieve ”
Jessica showed vision, determination and a dedication to her business which I found really illuminating and invigorating in today’s times, when risk taking isn’t at the top of people’s agendas.
Judges’ comments
Sponsored by
TUTS was formed in 2013 and our aim was always to offer a variety of construction related training and/or assessments to the local area Since opening our facility in 2016, we’ve enhanced our offering and increased our network of Instructors, resulting in nationwide delivery We provide a full holistic approach to our training; ensuring that we can empower those just starting off in the sector, through to those progressing through to management level, with a great emphasis on inclusion throughout We pride ourselves on our facilities, our quality of training and our impeccable service level
Beccy Hurrell Voice & Arts Limited uses the Arts to break down barriers and build confidence
Whether you are looking to take up an art form for the first time or looking to get back into work Our mission is to inspire, nurture and develop creativity within each individual we work with Celebrating each success along the way ensuring everyone who engages with us finds moments of joy in themselves and their journey Stay Amazing!
The team from Wellingborough-based recruitment technology company hireful was out in force after being named North Northamptonshire’s Business of the Year Launched in 1999, hireful supports HR teams and recruiters by offering software and support which takes the stress out of recruitment Over the years, they have become industry leaders in helping businesses to attract the very best talent,
using software, advice and training to help them improve their recruitment experience
Chief Executive, Sean Maher said: “We love the Northamptonshire Chamber ’s Business Awards, they are massive for the whole county, so to have won in this category is just fantastic Our team is incredible and they absolutely deserve this important recognition
“Congratulations to all the finalists, they are all incredible ”
It ’s fantastic to see the diverse range of businesses that have come forward to stand for this award.
Judges’ comments
Sponsored by
At Artemis we have an industry-leading offering that spans Insurance claims handling and fulfilment through to niche construction projects We have a unique approach to dealing with third party property damage through using intervention to drive down claim spend and on the other side, we provide turnkey, specialist construction solutions for a variety of sectors
From our company culture to the way we operate, what really makes Artemis is our teamwe put our people and their wellbeing at the heart of everything we do All we do is driven by our people and striving for excellence because quirky really is our business
Promoting a learning and development culture scooped Pragmatiq the title of Employer of the Year at the Northamptonshire Business Awards 2022.
Pragmatiq, a Microsoft Gold Partner that design and develop bespoke customer relationship management solutions for businesses, were delighted that their efforts had brought such grand recognition
Managing director Stuart Goldwater said: “This award really means a lot to us It is a significant award in our local community, and we are really proud of this achievement for us and all of the team
“We are also immensely proud of our culture, our people and the environment we create This award is a wonderful reflection on how we work across the business, and the focus we place on training and development ”
The award, sponsored by HR Solutions, recognised excellence in the promotion and implementation of a learning and development culture
HR Solutions CEO Greg Guilford, who presented the award, said of the Pragmatiq team: “They clearly demonstrated their commitment to developing their staff, which has contributed to the business achieving outstanding success ”
We are looking at the brightest businesses in Northamptonshire who are shining a light on the learning and development within their organisations and helping their company to be excellent. Investing in people is going to bring the best results in the day-to-day business.
Judges’ comments
Sponsored by
Mannol
MANNOL UK provides high quality lubricants, car care products and spare parts to motor factors, retailers, buying groups and regional distributors in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland
We aim to offer effective, high-tech yet affordable products to keep every engine and vehicle in top condition, helping to save owners time and money Every product in our MANNOL lubricants portfolio is individually developed, produced, and tested by SCT-Lubricants to specific car, motorcycle, commercial vehicle, and industrial engine needs
Competitive Edge is an award-winning provider of differentiated learning & development experiences We passionately believe that your people are your competitive edge We help organisations improve business performance through behaviour and culture change We do this by creating optimal learning environments, especially through challenging and fun experiential learning We are experts in Sales Team Effectiveness, Leadership & Management Development, Team Dynamics, Graduate Development, Coaching, and People Assessments We are proud to be trusted by some of the world’s leading brands
It was a huge evening for the team at Global Health Tests who were named High Growth Business of the Year for the second year running
Hot on the heels of their award for Best International Trade Business, founder Carl Raven and managing director Rob Daniels were back on stage alongside their team to receive their award sponsored by Azets
Rob said: “This is very special and has rounded off a fantastic night
“Receiving this award last year was amazing, to receive it again is incredible Over the past year, it has been about building on our success We keep on raising the bar and then we go again
“I’m so proud of our team – these are exciting times and there is so much more to come ”
Receiving this award last year was amazing, to receive it again is incredible.I’m so proud of our team – these are exciting times and there is so much more to come.
Winner’s comments