PREVIEW The countdown begins

SHOWCASE Is this the most beautiful property in

NOTHING BEATS BEING THERE

As deeply, wildly glamorous celebrations go, the Exeter Living Awards go a pretty long way. Each year, unprecedented number of companies nominate; each year tickets sell out yet faster; and each year the drumbeat of expectation crescendos to Awards night itself.

Truth is, you never know quite what to expect at any stage. And that’s a good thing. The nominations reveal a profusion of clever companies and organisations – sometimes all-new and often barelyknown; many well-known but telling of great new achievements. The judging session has clever insights as the wisdom-of-the-crowds eff ect means that the collective decision arrives at sound outcomes. Awards night has everything from laughter to tears to boisterous celebration, idiosyncratic-to-triumphant music, glitz, jubilation, attendees posing as cover stars, drama and just the most outré defi nition of überglam imaginable.

Our host Mark Olver will provide many belly laughs, cheerfully yomping off piste as the whim takes him. Oh, and there’ll be an aftershow party through to implausible o’clock, for the socially doughty, convivially hardy and, well, to be honest, the absolutely drunk. Maybe don’t schedule too many meetings on Friday 13 March (we won’t)… The Great Hall will be fi lled with hundreds of the city’s fi nest businesses again, with several dozen on the waiting list. If you can’t make it this time, do tune into social media on the night. Follow all the action @ExeterLivingAwd – we’ll be live tweeting the results.

Thank you to all who have entered, sponsored and judged; and to those who will attend. It’ll be a blast. If you love Exeter, nothing, but nothing, beats being there… OUR SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSOR Marsh Commercial Expert consultants in insurance, risk management and employee benefi ts for businesses and individuals. Its strength is the expertise and relationships it builds, helping its clients to thrive. LEAD SPONSORS: Cathedral Appointments, Crumbs, East of Exe, Exeter College, Exeter Live Better, Exeter Living, MD Business Interiors, Old Mill, Princesshay, Regus, Triangle Networks, Warwick Event Services. The überglam Exeter Living Awards take place on 12 March at the Exeter University’s Great Hall, celebrating the best of Exeter. In this special preview, we give you a taste of what to expect…

As ever, a panel of completely independent judges will decide the Exeter Living Awards winners. And this year they’re drawn from all areas of the city too THE JUDGES WILL DECIDE…

JABO BUTERA Jabo is the founder and managing director of Diversity Business Incubator, a community interest company aiming at catapulting business success within the BAME community in Devon.

JAYE COWLE Jaye is founder of one of the UK’s leading digital advertising agencies, Launch Online. Jaye is also a regular speaker and business mentor drawing on her experience as a successful business owner.

ALAN QUICK Equalities and diversity campaigner Alan is the editor of a local weekly newspaper and is also the inspiration behind the establishment of Exeter Pride with Intercom.

JESSICA WALLER Jessica, marketing director at Martin Frobisher’s, is a creative thinker and marketer with over 20 years’ experience, working across a range of industries and moving to the south west in 1999.

EMILY MACAULAY Emily is the centre manager for Exeter Library. She was also elected Chair of the Gay Police Association and this work saw her awarded an MBE for services to equality and diversity.

LOUISE EDWARDS Louise is the marketing director of Michelmores. She joined the company in 2004, as a corporate lawyer, before turning her hand to professional services marketing.

PHIL BIALYK First elected to the Council in 1984, Cllr Bialyk serves as a ward councillor for Exwick and was elected Council Leader in May 2019, focusing on Corporate Vision and Strategy.

SARAH TURNER Sarah is an author, freelance writer and blogger living in Exeter. She started writing as The Unmumsy Mum in 2013 and has since written three books, all of which are Sunday Times Top 10 bestsellers.

SIMON GIRLING Simon spent an enjoyable 15 years in London before moving to Exeter. Simon set up Girling Jones with the sole aim to build a strong construction and property recruitment consultancy in the south west.

WILL HARVEY Will is professor and associate dean at the University of Exeter. He received a PhD from the University of Cambridge and is currently the chair of trustees of Libraries Unlimited, which runs 50 public libraries across Devon.

Pete Woodham Kay and Sam Taylor

EXETER LIVING AWARDS

NOT LONG UNTIL THE BIG NIGHT, HERE’S A LOOK BACK ON THE FUN FROM 2019

PHOTOS BY FULL FAT PHOTOGRAPHY, MATT ROUND AND CLIFF SMITH

Sophie Brookes and Ben Lanyon

Becky Dickinson, Rowan Clarke, Jay Cowle and Ama Williams

Smiles all round Ella Huffman and Jo Armstrong

Shevek Pring, Melinda Burge, Annabelle Milverton and Tom Lowday

Amy Ware, Laura Clarke and Sophie Baitup

Oliver Raud, Kathryn White and Ama Williams

Life changing interior design in Devon

Proud Finalist of

AWARDS 2020

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