Pride of Cumbria finalists for Community Business of the Year revealed

The Pride of Cumbria Awards will be the county's biggest ever event celebrating community heroes from all walks of life.

Nominations were received in their thousands, as readers put forward or the people and organisations who have helped them through a year like no other.

The Community Business of the Year is about a business that went above and beyond for its community.

The groups are nominated and then assessed by the contributions that they have made before being put through to the finals. 

The three finalists for this year are: Herdy, Wax Lyrical and Dent Village Shop.

Herdy has been nominated for their 'Herdy Heroes' campaign. At the end of each week, Herdy picked their favourite Herdy Hero nomination and designed a customised eCard, honouring and celebrating the chosen Herdy Heroes, thanking them for everything they were doing for their local community.

Herdy Co-Founder, Diane Hannah said: "Herdy are absolutely delighted to have been nominated for the Community Business of the Year Award. We're a brand that prides itself on being a positive force in the world, aiming to "spread smiles and happiness" with our heart and soul firmly in The English Lakes.

"We are very much looking forward to an evening celebrating the people and businesses who make Cumbria a great place to live, work and play."

Dent village shop has been nominated by Ian Johnson, nominating Dent Stores Ian said: "Despite enormous personal difficulties Les, Sue and their two sons have kept the shop open to serve the village with vital supplies throughout the pandemic, especially the elderly and infirm who would have seriously struggled without the store."

Owner of Dent Village Stores, Les Howes said: "I am very surprised and very honoured being a newbie in the village, it is quite something.

"It just seemed like the right thing to do."

Wax Lyrical has been nominated for their work at the start of the pandemic. In 2020, Wax Lyrical, adapted its factory to produce hand and surface sanitisers and made its first delivery to Furness General Hospital. Production began on 26th March and 100,000 units were delivered to Furness General Hospital, Barrow, just days later.

The Cumbria-based brand transformed its business in a matter of weeks and produced 1 million units of sanitiser within the first month of production.

Chief Executive of Wax Lyrical, Jacqui Gale MBE said, “It is an honour to be nominated for this award. Wax Lyrical has been designing and manufacturing home fragrance for 42 years and although we proudly export around the globe, our hearts are at home in Lindal-in Furness. In this very challenging time, as the country was shutting down the whole team at Wax Lyrical made a safe working environment and turned the factory around.

"Coming together with the support of our suppliers and local partners, in just 10 days we were manufacturing sanitiser for the NHS, with an emotional first delivery just a few miles down the road to Furness General. I am incredibly proud of the Wax Lyrical family and what we achieved together.”