The finalists have been announced in this year’s prestigious Somerset Business Awards, with companies, charities and individuals from across the county vying for the honours.
Pictured at their meeting to decide the Somerset Business Awards 2022 finalists are judges and sponsors, from left, Nick Porter of Barclays, Andy Cockcroft of Hinkley Point C, Ian Porter of Weston College, Tim Walker of Clarke Willmott, Lizzie Ginbey of Teapot Creative, Neil Discombe of Garador, Michael Cahill of Albert Goodman, Alan Smith of Enterprise South West, Emma Warren of Elite Staffing Solutions, Ben Lee of PKF Francis Clark, Alison Smith of Brook Financial Services and Somerset Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Emma Rawlings. Not pictured are judges Evelyn Adfield of Porter Dodson, Paul Lowndes of Gravity and Durgan Cooper of CETSAT.
Judges faced a tough time whittling down a record-breaking number of entries in this year’s awards, which are run annually by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce.
The 2022 finalists come from all corners of the county, including Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater, Yeovil, Norton St Philip, Mark, Wiveliscombe, Weston-super-Mare, Shepton Mallet, Bradford-on-Tone, Westonzoyland, Langport, Glastonbury, Roadwater, Midsomer Norton, Ilminster, Highbridge and Cheddar.
This year is the 17th anniversary of the awards with the grand final taking place at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, in Weston-super-Mare, on March 11, hosted by BBC presenter and journalist, Claire Carter.
Somerset Chamber Executive Director, Emma Rawlings, thanked everyone who had entered the awards and said the most hotly contested categories had included Medium Business of the Year, Service Excellence and Environmental Achievement.
She said: “It was great to see so many entries from both Chamber members and non-members from all corners of the county and representing a wide range of sectors and industries.
“These awards are the largest in Somerset and are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all that is great about our diverse business community and I’m looking forward to the grand final next month.”
The 2022 finalists are:
Albert Goodman Family Business of the Year (sponsored by Albert Goodman):
J&K Aquatics, Bridgwater
Musgrove Willows, Westonzoyland
Protek Products, Shepton Mallet
Small Business of the Year (sponsored by TDA):
AIP Welding Supplies Ltd, Bridgwater
Introtweet Ltd, Taunton
Reflex Medical Limited, Shepton Mallet
Medium Business of the Year (sponsored by Brook Financial Management):
Hippychick Ltd, Bridgwater
Lendology CIC, Bradford-on-Tone
Haven Timber Holdings Ltd, Norton St Philip
Large Business of the Year (sponsored by PKF Francis Clark):
Bradfords Building Supplies, Yeovil
Regency Purchasing Group, Weston-super-Mare
Ten Three Cleaning Ltd, Yeovil
Charity of the Year (sponsored by Clarke Willmott):
bibic, Langport
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Wellington
St Margaret’s Hospice Care, Taunton
Best Use of Technology (sponsored by Porter Dodson):
Berry & Escott, Bridgwater
Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton
Talick Group, Glastonbury
Employer of the Year (sponsored by Elite Staffing Solutions):
Alpha Housing Services Ltd, Taunton
Singer Instruments, Roadwater
WPA, Taunton
Investing in Somerset (sponsored by Hinkley Point C):
Bridges Electrical Engineers Ltd, Midsomer Norton
Cake Box Bakery, Yeovil
MMES 2012 Ltd, Bridgwater
Start-up of the Year (sponsored by Teapot Creative):
Emily Thompson Social Media Coach, Ilminster
Otterhead House, Taunton
The Birch Dementia Centre Ltd, Weston-super-Mare
Employee of the Year (sponsored by Weston College):
Ryan Werner, of AIP Welding Supplies Ltd, Bridgwater
Rebekah Blake, of The Willow Set Pre-School, Taunton
Environmental Achievement (sponsored by Gravity):
New Leaf Life Design, Bridgwater
Somerlap Forest Products Ltd, Mark
Talick Group Ltd, Glastonbury
Service Excellence (sponsored by CETSAT):
Alpha Housing Services Limited, Taunton
Container Team Ltd, Weston-super-Mare
House Fox Estate Agents, Weston-super-Mare
Somerset Manufacturer and Producer (sponsored by Garador):
E-FS Ltd, Highbridge
EPS Services & Tooling Ltd, Wiveliscombe
Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton
Rebuild and Thrive (sponsored by Barclays):
Introtweet Ltd, Taunton
Regency Purchasing Group, Weston-super-Mare
Sansum Solutions Group Limited, Cheddar