9 minute read
Doncaster Chamber Awards
DONCASTER BUSINESS AWARDS:
CELEBRATED IN A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER
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Doncaster Chamber of Commerce had to ‘pivot’ the annual awards ceremony like so many businesses who have persevered and performed through the pandemic. Here unLTD turns the spotlight on the digital ceremony and its ‘high calibre’ winners
Excellence despite adversity was celebrated at the Doncaster Business Awards, sponsored by Doncaster College and University Centre, on Friday 12 March.
Forced to pivot and go digital, a bespoke platform was created to mirror as much of the calendar highlight as possible, and it didn’t disappoint.
Welcome to Yorkshire CEO James Mason kept a Zoom room of finalists enthralled as an online audience looked on, with special recognition accolades to show the business community’s appreciation of the borough’s NHS workers and a special Doncaster Business Hero award that recognised contributions by the private sector to tackling the issues created by the pandemic.
The virtual ceremony brought a new dimension to the Doncaster Business Awards, but the raw reactions of winners live on screen as they were revealed were as powerful as they have been in the two decades prior at the in-person events.
More than 100 entries were submitted for the 14 competitive categories including Large Business of the Year and Success through Innovation and Diversification.
The winners were announced by sponsor judges having passed through a rigorous two-stage judging process that included a written application and interview.
The award ceremony was interspersed with NHS Recognition Awards, sponsored by ORB Recruitment. Nominees from Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were voted on internally at both organisations across four categories: Compassionate Care, Unsung Hero, Community Hero, and Outstanding Contribution.
Jade Dyer, business director at Doncaster Chamber said, “The last year has been tough for every business, but we remain amazed at the high calibre of entries to the Doncaster Business Awards. The judges had a real challenge on their hands this year and every finalist should be very proud of their achievement.”
Jill Wood, Chamber President said: “We were delighted to shine a spotlight on Doncaster’s NHS heroes at the Business Awards. They have done so much to support Doncaster’s communities this last 12 months and we were honoured that so many NHS workers could join us to celebrate Doncaster’s success and resilience.”
WINNERS AND RUNNER UPS OF THE DONCASTER BUSINESS AWARDS 2020/21
Excellence in Customer Service, sponsored by Pristine Commercial Cleaning Services
Winner: Murray, Morrison & Knowles Runner up: Merlinsoft
Marketing Campaign of the Year sponsored by HSR Law
Winner: Fellowes Runner up: Plan.Grow.Do
Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility sponsored by Investors in Community
Winner: Keepmoat Homes Runner up: ORB Recruitment
Business Engaging with Education sponsored by Opportunities Doncaster
Winner: Active Fusion Runner up: We Can Grow
HOST JAMES MASON OF WELCOME TO YORKSHIRE AND DAVID CHAMBERLAIN, ELLGIA, SPONSORS OF THE SUCCESS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AWARD ANNOUNCES THE WINNER
Excellence in People Development sponsored by ORB Recruitment
Winner: Concorde BGW Group Runner up: Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals
Success through Partnerships sponsored by Ellgia
Winner: Cast Runner up: Doncaster UTC
Success through Innovation and Diversification sponsored by Pegler Yorkshire
Winner: Navy Professional Limited Runner up: NCM Auctions
Business Start Up of the Year sponsored by Finance for Enterprise
Winner: HD Forwarding Runner up: Plan.Grow.Do
Third Sector Organisation of the Year sponsored by Atherton Godfrey LLP
Winner: darts (Doncaster
Suzy Brain England OBE, Trust chair, said: ‘’This past year, every single member of Team DBTH has made me incredibly proud and gone far beyond what we would normally ask of them. I would like to congratulate each of the winners and nominees for their hard-earned awards.”
Community Arts) Runner up: South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation
SME Business of the Year sponsored by Keebles LLP
Winner: ORB Recruitment Runner up: Navy
Professional Limited Large Business of the Year sponsored by Polypipe
Winner: Concorde BGW Group Runner up: Carlton Forest Group
Young Business Person of the Year sponsored by VolkerRail
Winner: Tom Miller, Fellowes Runner up: Daniel McLaughlin, Unipart Rail
Green Business of the Year sponsored by The Translation Energy Research Centre at the University of Sheffield
Winner: VolkerRail Runner up: ENGIE
Apprentice of the Year sponsored by Doncaster College and University Centre
Winner: Owen Cooper, St Leger Homes of Doncaster Runner up: Michael Bent, Unipart Rail
Doncaster Business Hero
Winner: Lauren Cuttell, Club Doncaster Foundation
NHS Recognition Awards sponsored by ORB Recruitment
NHS Compassionate Care
Winner: Dr Ken Agwuh, DBTH
NHS Unsung Hero
Winner: Adam Tingle, DBTH
NHS Outstanding Contribution
Winner: Team DBTH
NHS Community Hero
Winner: Combined Planned & Unplanned Community Nursing Team RDaSH
Andy File Associates Ltd is currently celebrating 12 years in business. Here MD Andy File tells unLTD all about the organically grown recruitment firm – and introduces the team behind the ‘professional, passionate and personable’ service
DEBRA FOSTER, ANNE BRAITHWAITE, REBECCA THOMAS, DANIEL OWEN AND ANDY FILE
The team has over 85 years’ combined experience from a variety of recruitment backgrounds ensuring the experience to find you your next job, or match your company’s needs to candidates and source the talent required.
Andy File Associates Ltd offers a professional, passionate, and personable service to which our clients and candidates have testified, with a proven track record of success.
Every team member has been with the company for at least five years. We know how important it is to create a positive experience for candidates and clients, but we also know that can only come from a positive workplace.
Debra Foster – associate
Debra has worked across several sectors in business development/sales and marketing roles and has held various senior management positions.
Her ability to communicate confidently and articulately and her keen listening skills are key to providing a good experience for clients and candidates.
Three words that describe my approach
Professional, responsive, and helpful.
Something about me...
Debra enjoys seeing the family, walking, reading, Greece, girlie breaks, café culture and clothes shopping/ browsing.
Anne Braithwaite – business manager
Anne has over 30 years’ recruitment experience in both private and public sectors, recruiting across the board for a wide range of organisations from SMEs to blue chip companies. It’s a surprise for Anne to find a role she’s not filled before.
Three words that describe my approach
Professional, efficient, and supportive.
Something about me...
Anne loves rugby, rock music and her favourite staycations.
Rebecca Thomas – associate
An innovative recruitment consultant with seven years experience at Andy File Associates and a further three years working for the same national agency as Andy.
Three words that describe my approach
Friendly, understanding, and consistent.
Something about me...
Rebecca loves all things art and design and likes to holiday in Italy and discover new places to visit.
Daniel Owen – operations manager
Dan recruits in different industries from IT sales/ technical to heavy engineering. He comes from a strong sales background and previously sold many different products from media to football sponsorship and recently apprenticeships and exhibitions.
Three words that describe my approach
Knowledgeable, honest, and supportive.
Something about me...
Self-confessed sci-fi and movie ‘nerd’, Dan enjoys spending time outside work with wife Elizabeth, daughter Erin, family and friends, with an occasional game of golf thrown in.
Andy File - MD
Over 25 years’ recruitment experience, 13 years with a national agency.
I started Andy File Associates in 2009 with an initial investment from friend and Sheffield entrepreneur Paul Collings of www. createpartnerships.com and have steadily grown the business and team of associates. We recruit across the board from financial director to playground installation labourers.
Three words that describe my approach
Passionate, conscientious, and empathetic.
Something about me...
I’m a sports lover including rugby, football and cricket. I’ve played rugby for Dronfield Rugby Club since graduating from Sheffield University in 1994, including two seasons as 1st XV Captain.
Find out more – visit www.andyfileassociates.com
Client testimonial – HRM | PR & Creative
We have been working with the team at Andy File for a while and have been very impressed with all aspects of their service. They take the time to understand our business to ensure they select the right candidates for us. Our recent appointments were candidates Debra successfully sourced for us. I would absolutely recommend Andy File Associates to other businesses.
Allie Dransfield, head of client management – HRM
TRIBOSONICS LEADING SUSTAINABILITY CHARGE FOR REGIONAL SMES
Sheffield sensing technology business Tribosonics tells unLTD how the team is ‘setting an example for fellow regional businesses’, by embracing the new era of digitisation to enhance its environmental, social and governance sustainability offering to the market
Tribosonics primarily focuses on markets in transport, power generation and manufacturing, driving digital transformation to enable increased energy efficiencies and value creation.
Circa 23 per cent of the world’s energy is wasted through tribological contact (Holmberg and Erdemir 2017). Tribology is the science of interactive surfaces in relative motion and the effect of wear, friction, and lubrication. Tribosonics is at the cutting edge of addressing these challenges as it designs, manufactures and deploys unique ultrasonic measurement platforms and products – it embeds sensors in components and machinery to create smart systems by generating measurement data that enables actionable insights, adds value and improves sustainability.
The company has seen steady growth in recent years from start-up to scale-up, driven by a talented, multi-disciplinary team, led by current CEO Glenn Fletcher.
Glenn has overseen the company’s recent development and, despite the recent There’s investment in building on an already talented team – we are recruiting and have taken on a number of people since the investment so as to capture and deliver future growth.
It has also enabled us to further develop and productize our technology and to build on our intellectual property portfolio. Innovation is at the very core of our business, but we recognise that innovation is invention plus commercialisation. The investment we received has given us the momentum and resources to direct our technology development towards what the market needs and is helping us to create a great platform for the future.”
As for the future, Glenn states that developing current team members, recruiting the right people and maintaining the business’ culture will be crucial in seeing Tribosonics grow to the next level through sustained innovation:
“An important factor in the future of a business like Tribosonics is the people involved. I would define success as being able to develop and attract the right people, at the right time, to do the right thing. You need people with exceptional functional skills, but you also want innovative and fearless people who believe they can make a real difference to the business and really change things, thereby contributing to a better world. At Tribosonics we pride ourselves on our collaborative and inclusive culture that facilitates our innovative approach to developing sustainability enhancing solutions. It’s important that we maintain and enhance that culture as we grow.”
global pandemic states that sustainability is key:
“Many industries and companies have been adversely affected by the pandemic, but we are fortunate to work with a number of large corporates who have recognised the need to innovate and accelerate towards the post-COVID world that will require a more operationally efficient, digitised and sustainable industrial base.”
Tribosonics recently received an investment of c.£1.1million from regional investors Mercia Asset Management PLC, as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), which Glenn states has been crucial in powering the scale-up of the business:
“The investment rationale was to provide the business with growth capital, which is being applied in a number of ways.
