Yeovil Chamber Business Awards
Released On 2nd Feb 2024
Yeovil Chamber Business Awards 2023: A Night of Celebration, Recognition, and Success
Yeovil, 12th January 2023 — The Yeovil Chamber Business Awards 2023, hosted at the elegant Westlands Leisure, unfolded as a spectacular evening, bringing together the local business community for a night of glamour, recognition, and celebration.
The black-tie event, attended by 120 esteemed guests, was a testament to the resilience and excellence within the Yeovil business landscape. The prestigious awards ceremony, now in its 4th year, showcased outstanding achievements across various categories, honouring businesses that have demonstrated exceptional growth, innovation, and community impact.
The Yeovil Chamber Business Awards 2023 were privileged to host the esteemed cricketer James Hildreth as our special guest and guest speaker. A true icon in the world of cricket, James not only shared his incredible journey and experiences in the sport but also drew insightful parallels between the principles of teamwork, resilience, and strategic thinking in cricket and the world of business. His engaging anecdotes and motivational words left an indelible mark on the audience, inspiring everyone present to approach challenges with a winning mindset. We extend our sincere gratitude to James Hildreth for gracing our event and enriching the evening with his charisma and wisdom, making the awards ceremony an even more memorable occasion for all attendees.
"The Yeovil Chamber Business Awards continue to be a beacon of excellence, showcasing the remarkable achievements of our local businesses," said Jo Reynolds, President of Yeovil Chamber. "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and our sincere appreciation to our sponsors, particularly headline sponsor Leonardo Helicopters, whose support makes this celebration of success possible.
" The Yeovil Chamber expresses gratitude to all sponsors—Auxilium HR, Albert Goodman, Mark One, Cetsat, Kontrolit, Somerset Life, NextGen, Holloway Insurance Services Ltd, Quedam Centre, Somerset Comedy Festival, Yeovil College, and Garador—for their unwavering support in recognising and celebrating the exceptional businesses that contribute to the vibrancy of the Yeovil community.
The evening kicked off with the Young Business of the Year Award, rightfully claimed by Jack Abbiss of 50 Degrees. Abbiss's innovative approach and dedication to business excellence set a high standard for emerging entrepreneurs.
Emerald First Aid secured the coveted SME Business Award, highlighting their exceptional commitment to the community and a high level of professionalism. The Customer Service Award went to Cake Box Bakery, a testament to their ongoing commitment to delivering outstanding customer experiences.
The Winking Frog Café was crowned A Great Place to Work, recognising their efforts in fostering a positive workplace culture. The Exceptional Employee Award was bestowed upon Rowan Turner of Mark One Consultants for his outstanding dedication and contributions to the organisation.
Matt Thackwell of Kazbar received the Outstanding Contribution by an Individual/Group Award, acknowledging his remarkable impact on the local business community and voluntary work. The title of Community Champion went to Amy Smith of Zumba with Amy, who received a record number of nominations from her customers.
Home Instead stood out as the Social Care Business of the Year, exemplifying excellence in service and commitment to the community. Refine & Design claimed the Retail Business Award, celebrating innovation and excellence in customer experiences.
The Hospitality and Leisure Business Award was clinched by Lanes Hotel, showcasing their significant contributions to the leisure sector and support in lobbying for positive changes in the industry. Watly Engineering emerged victorious in the Manufacturing and Engineering Business category, against some very stiff competition.
Take No Wrap was honoured as the Environmental/Green Business of the Year, underlining their commitment to sustainability practices and environmental responsibility.
The highlight of the evening was the announcement that The Winking Frog Cafe, sponsored by headline sponsor Leonardo Helicopters, was crowned as the Yeovil Chamber Overall Business of the Year, recognising their outstanding contributions to the business community and how they made a significant impact across multiple criteria.
The event's success was further amplified by the presence of distinguished Guest Speaker Dominic Howe of Leonardo Helicopters, whose insights added an extra layer of inspiration to the evening and celebrated the ongoing contributions to the local and global community and economies.
As the awards ceremony concluded, the night continued with networking, laughter, and the joyous sounds of Tom and The Clementynes, rounding off an unforgettable evening of achievement and community spirit.
