The winners of the in-Cumbria Business Awards 2018 have been revealed.
At a glittering awards ceremony hosted by TV and radio broadcaster Jeremy Vine at the Halston in Carlisle, the cream of the county’s business world were celebrated.
The in-Cumbria Business Awards, in association with Sellafield Limited, saw around 250 business leaders gather to pick up the top honours after hundreds of Cumbrian firms entered across 15 categories.
One of the most prestigious honours of the night, Businessperson of the Year, went to Barry Leahey MBE, of Playdale Playgrounds, based in Haverthwaite.
The company designs, manufactures and installs playgrounds across the world.
Mr Leahey said: “I am actually speechless about it. I genuinely didn’t believe I was going to win it and I am over the moon that I have.
“This time last week I was taking part in a charity boxing event and you could say that I knocked that guy out and tonight – but tonight I feel like I have been knocked out. It’s rewarding to be recognised.
“I am lucky enough to facilitate a great team of people. Some people call that leadership, but I call it facilitation. It’s getting the best out of the people that are there. I have got a really good team around me and they’ve all bought into it.”
Another headline award, the prestigious Lifetime Contribution to Cumbria award was presented to Maria Whitehead MBE and Mark Whitehead MBE, of Hawkshead Relish.
The owners and founders of the artisan producer of award-winning preserves based in the historic village of Hawkshead in the heart of the Lake District, also admitted to being left speechless after receiving the accolade.
Mrs Whitehead said: “I think it’s phenomenal, in this room full of such a lot of experience to have been recognised for what we do is very humbling. We are a family business through-and-through and everyone who works for us is part of our family and we all work together as a team. It’s everybody altogether and that’s key.
Mr Whitehead added: “Everybody has ideas and we try and put them into action if we can. Whether it’s introducing a new recipe or some way we can streamline the process. Everybody is as important as everybody else and that’s the way we’ve always worked.”
Another big winner on the night was Technical Fibre Products, part of the James Cropper group of companies based in Burneside.
The company develops and manufactures high performance nonwoven materials for the aerospace, medical, infrastructure, automotive and defence sectors, with a growing market share in the energy and fuel cells.
It picked up both the Best Manufacturing and Best Innovation awards.
Elsewhere, Cockermouth-based PR agency One Little Bird was named best SME while Embleton’s Caterite Food and Wineservice scooped the award for Best Large Business.
Law firm Cartmell Shepherd picked up the Best Professional Services award and Cumbria Health on Call was crowned Best Social Enterprise.
Carlisle e-commerce business CHO Fashion & Lifestyle won the Best Marketing award for its campaigns across multiple channels and Carlisle College accounting apprentice Rebecca Mooney, who is based at Carlisle Refrigeration, won the Best Apprentice/Trainee accolade.
Ulverston LED manufacturer Oxley Group, which supplies its products across the world, was named Best Exporter and the Rothay Garden Hotel, near Grasmere, received the Best Tourism and Hospitality award.
Multi-disciplinary firm Kaefer Ltd, with a base in West Cumbria, picked up the prize for Best Community Involvement in recognition of its work linked to social impact.
The Best Family Business award went to property rental firm GM & SM Marrs, of Wigton, while Walby Farm Park, near Carlisle, picked up the Best Customer Service Excellence award.
The Best New Business title went to Luxury Living Development at Scalesceugh Hall, owned by Bruno and Dr Anita Herdeiro.
Luke Dicicco, group business editor for Newsquest Cumbria and editor of in-Cumbria, said: “The in-Cumbria Business Awards are a true celebration of the county’s business prowess and based on the extremely high quality of this year’s winners, we have a huge amount to shout about.
“It was fantastic to see all sectors and all four corners of the county recognised this year with businesses raising the bar to extremely high levels. There really was very little in it across all the categories, and all finalists can be rightly proud of their achievements because deciding the winners was tough.
“I’d like to pay specific tribute to Barry for winning what had to be one of the most coveted prizes on the night.
"It is a true recognition of someone who has taken their business to new heights.
“And I’d also like to congratulate Maria and Mark for receiving the honour of Lifetime Contribution to Cumbria.
"They have created a thriving business and helped to put Cumbria firmly on the map.
“My thanks also go out to all our sponsors – particularly our event partner Sellafield Limited – and the expert judges who decided the winners this year.
"It has been a real team Cumbria effort and shows just what we can achieve when we come together.
“While I’m sure the celebrations will continue for some time to come yet, the pressure is already on for the awards in 2019.”
Winners and finalists
, sponsored by HSBC: Oxley Group
Trade Copiers
, sponsored by Genesis Homes: Kaefer Ltd
Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster
Sealy UK
, sponsored by BAE Systems: Technical Fibre Products
Bender UK
Rovtech Solutions
, sponsored by Direct Rail Services: Rothay Garden Hotel
Tullie House
Sally’s Cottages
, sponsored by FW Capital: Luxury Living Development Caterprep
i3 Decommissioning Partners
, sponsored by Associated British Ports: Technical Fibre Products Futamura Chemicals
, sponsored by Reiver Homes: Walby Farm Park
Cumberland Building Society
Direct Rail Services
, sponsored by Choose Cumbria: Barry Leahey MBE Nick Gutteridge
Debbie Francis
, sponsored by University of Cumbria: Cumbria Health on Call
The Centre for Leadership Performance
The Happy Mums Foundation
, sponsored by Bendalls Engineering: Rebecca Mooney Thomas Armstrong
Abigail Graham
, sponsored by Cumberland Building Society: Cartmell Shepherd
Prima Uno
Armstrong Watson
, sponsored by Carlisle Brass: CHO Fashion and Lifestyle
H&H Insurance Brokers
Cumberland Building Society
, sponsored by Enterprise Answers: One Little Bird Public Relations
Prima Uno
Bender UK
, sponsored by Lamont Pridmore: Caterite Food and Wine Service
Cumberland Building Society
TSP Engineering
, sponsored by Armstrong Watson: GM & SM Marrs
K&S McKenzie
J Edgar & Sons
Maria and Mark Whitehead, of Hawskhead Relish
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