Almost 100 local business leaders gathered at Llancaiach Fawr Manor House on Wednesday to help launch this year’s Caerphilly Business Forum Awards.
Now in their 12th year, the awards, held in association with Business Edge, Coleg Gwent, celebrate the achievements of businesses of all sizes in Caerphilly County Borough.
Speaking at the breakfast launch event Tony Sheehan, Chairman of Caerphilly Business Forum, said: “The Caerphilly Business Forum Awards is designed to showcase the very best businesses and individuals located in and working from the County Borough.
“As well as raising awareness for the numerous organisations that enter, the awards offer an excellent platform for companies to demonstrate their ideas, products, services and collaboration – a vital aspect of our economic recovery.”
Karina Hicks, Head of Sales and Marketing at Educ8 Training Ltd won the Young Achiever of the Year Award in 2012. Educ8 was this year’s launch sponsor for the awards.
She said: “I am delighted that Educ8 is able to sponsor the awards this year.
“After our fantastic success at last year’s awards we decided that we would like to show our support for an event that celebrates achievement and growth within our local authority area.
“I would highly recommend that businesses enter the awards as it is a brilliant way to showcase the achievements of your organisation whilst raising morale and motivation amongst staff. Even by submitting an entry you are letting your staff know that you recognise the impact that their hard work has had on the success of your business.”
CB Forum Awards Launch 2013 from Dischro Creative on Vimeo.
Cllr Ken James, cabinet members for regeneration, said: “I believe it’s very important. It encourages local business people to get together and the awards themselves are important in helping to raise the profile of local business.
“The networking is also important. We have businesses talking to one another and how they can support one another.”
Also speaking at the event was Denise Lovering from Bedwas company Glenside Commercials – another sponsor.
Ms Lovering spoke about women in business and how important it was for the forum to recognise them.
She said: “Three years ago I was asked if Glenside would become one of the sponsors of the awards. I agreed, but wanted to include a new category, so Women in Business was added.
“I was not being particularly sexist, but had found that in many companies, there were women behind the scenes who provide fantastic support, sometimes for many years, but who seldom gain recognition for what they do because they don’t put themselves forward, they think it’s only me, I’m nothing special.
“Then there are the women who have decided to start their own business, in some cases as the answer to the problems they encounter with childcare. Being their own boss, gives them the flexibility that a lot of employers can’t or won’t offer. They sometimes struggle with prejudice yet succeed against all the odds because they believe in what they do.
“All these women need to be encouraged to shine.”
The Caerphilly Business Awards has eight categories:
- New Business of the Year
- Young Business of the Year (high growth) sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
- Business of the Year (with 25 employees or fewer) sponsored by Caerphilly County Borough Council
- Business of the Year (with more than 25 employees) sponsored by Finance Wales
- Young Achiever sponsored by PHS
- Women in Business sponsored by Glenside Commercial
- Contribution to the Rural Economy supported by Caerffili Cwm a Mynydd
- Social Enterprise of the Year sponsored by the South East Wales Community Economic Development Programme
- A Premier Award sponsored by Broomfield and Alexander will also be presented to the overall winner on the night.
Other event sponsors include Anytime Films, Carrick Designs, Lady Muck Cleaning, Norgine and Rose-Innes Designs.
For more details on each of the categories, please go to www.cbforum.co.uk. The closing date for entries is Friday, September 20.
The Awards Dinner takes place at Llancaich Fawr on Friday, November 22.
elegant windows lts started on 15th aug 2012 with a idea and two pound in my pocket i was out of work for 8 months as a carpenter and had years of experience in the building ind .cearphilly council helped with a grant of 2k with loan off my mother 2 i headed to reding to buy a van from Ebay.the sign writing was done with the help of the grant.we have had a busy year filling our books with orders and taking jobs of so called bigger firms we offer supply and instalation service with a friendly service covering south Wales