Finalists revealed for Red Rose Awards 2019

Lancashire Business View has revealed its most diverse shortlist yet for the Red Rose Awards, naming a wide range of businesses competing for prestigious trophies at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on March 14.

Hundreds of nominations have been whittled down to just six finalists in each of the 25 categories - which range from new business of the year to the international achievement award.

The remaining hopefuls now have one final chance to present their story to panels of Red Rose Awards judges over two days at Ewood Park in Blackburn in February. Lancashire Business View can also reveal Blackpool and the Fylde College as the new judging partner for the 2019 Awards. More than 70 judges will make their decisions in panels of four or five

The winners names will then be kept under wraps until the prize-giving extravaganza on 14 March. The black tie event, which features locally sourced food and entertainment, will give one winner in each category a chance to walk the stage and collect their trophies before an audience of more than 1,100

Claire Jameson, director of business development at Blackpool and the Fylde College, the Red Rose Awards judging partner for 2019 commented: “B&FC is a leading provider of employment-focused education and training, working with over 1,000 employers to deliver a skilled workforce for industry. We therefore recognise the importance of these awards as a means to promote business excellence and the continued growth of the local economy. The standard of this year’s Red Rose Awards entries is higher than ever and we are delighted to play a key role in showcasing and celebrating the Lancashire’s industrial elite.”

Oliver Burton, CEO at Forbes Solicitors, headline sponsors of the awards for the ninth year, said: “We always enjoy the judging element of the awards and this year has been no different. Deciding the finalists is a very difficult task with the quality of entries received each year. We’re looking forward to meeting finalists on the interview days to hear more about their stories and success in Lancashire and beyond.”

John Stanworth, head of corporate banking at Barclays in Lancashire, a headline sponsor for six years, added: “As always the award entries have been of a very high standard making judging a very difficult job indeed! The finalists should be very proud to have made it to this stage.

“We are looking forward to meeting them, and celebrating their successes on the night of the Awards.”

Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View, which stages the Red Rose Awards, explained that this year’s event had been refreshed to give more organisations a fair chance of competing.

He explained: “We fettled the format ever so slightly for 2019. We limited the number of categories each business can enter to three. The result has been that some of the smaller or lesser known companies have had a better chance to make the final shortlist, which has given us a better opportunity to promote the county’s diversity.

Richard added: “The volume and quality of entries has remained as high as ever and we now move on to the presentation part of the process, before our panels of highly qualified judges faces the difficult task of selecting the winners.”

Construction Business Award sponsored by Veka

F Parkinson, Blackpool Pinington, Lancaster JVT Construction, Bacup OEP Building Services, Lancaster Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction, Burnley UPS Building & Maintenance, Skelmersdale

Corporate Social Responsibility Award

DePuy Synthes, Blackpool Empine Group, Darwen Farleys Solicitors, Blackburn MGS Technical Plastics, Blackburn Skiddle, Preston VEKA Group, Burnley

Creative Business Award sponsored by Peter Scott Printers

AWOL Adventure, Preston Hotfoot Design, Lancaster Jellymedia, Blackpool Root Fifty Two, Burnley Single Malt Design, Lancaster Wise Owl Creative, Colne Customer Service Award sponsored by Napthens              

Back Care Solutions, Preston Better2Know, Morecambe Seriun, Barrowford Skiddle, Preston Sunshine Events UK Ashton UPS Building & Maintenance, Skelmersdale

Digital Business Award Sponsored by Sundown Solutions

21Digital, Blackburn Bespoke Digital Agency, Preston Blue Wren, Preston EKM, Preston Fat Media, Lancaster GrowTraffic, Rossendale Ecommerce Business Award sponsored by Every1

Direct 4 Baby, Burscough Display Wizard, Preston Made With Oak, Preston Northern Industrial, Blackburn Skiddle, Preston Studio.co.uk, Accrington Employer of the Year Award

Advocacy Focus, Accrington Digital 22, Clitheroe Myerscough College & University Centre, Bilsborrow Pendleside Hospice, Burnley PM+M, Blackburn Suresite Group, Preston Engineering Business Award sponsored by Seriun

BCW Manufacturing, Burnley OEP Building Services, Lancaster Pakawaste, Longridge PDS CNC Engineering, Nelson Stortec Engineering, Clitheroe Thomas Consulting, Chorley

Family Business Award sponsored by Mattioli Woods

Ewood Foods, Accrington Fence Gate, Fence Hippo Motor Group, Blackburn PDS CNC Engineering, Nelson Silverwoods Waste Management, Clitheroe Supalite Tiled Roof Systems, Preston

Financial Services Award sponsored by Rosebud and Mercia Fund Managers

AFS Group, Blackburn Kingsley Asset Finance, Whittle-le-Woods MJH Accountants, Preston NFU Mutual, Preston PM+M, Blackburn Spencer Hayes Group, Heywood

Growing Business Award sponsored by CMAC

Jones Melling, Preston Levity CropScience, Preston National Care Group, Accrington Process Instruments, Burnley Sales Geek, Altham UPS Building & Maintenance, Skelmersdale

Health and Care Business Award sponsored by Slater + Gordon

Choice Care, Blackburn Hexagon Care Services, Preston KS Education, Leyland National Care Group, Accrington Pendleside Hospice, Burnley Progress Housing Group's Progress Lifeline Service, Leyland Hospitality Business Award

Crow Wood Leisure, Burnley Fence Gate, Fence Hampton by Hilton, Blackpool James' Places, Clitheroe Pure Leisure Group, Carnforth Winter Gardens Blackpool, Blackpool In-house Training Award

Advocacy Focus, Accrington AluFoldDirect, Blackburn Derian House Children's Hospice, Chorley Pendleside Hospice, Burnley University of Central Lancashire, Preston VEKA Group, Burnley

Innovation in Business Award sponsored by UCLan

BCW Manufacturing Group, Burnley IDLS, Lancaster Love2move, Preston Sheet Piling (UK), Preston Silverwoods Waste Management, Clitheroe Tac-Grid, Leyland International Achievement Award sponsored by Mint Business Travel

Flavour Warehouse, Darwen Jellymedia, Blackpool Levity CropScience, Preston Northern Industrial, Blackburn Process Instruments, Burnley University of Central Lancashire, Preston

Large Business Award sponsored by Forbes Solicitors

BCW Manufacturing Group, Burnley CMAC Group, Accrington Hexagon Care Services, Preston Hippo Motor Group, Blackburn Studio.co.uk, Accrington University of Central Lancashire, Preston Legal Services Award

Alexander Grace Law, Burnley Baines Wilson, Lancaster Brabners, Preston Harrison Drury Solicitors, Preston Kellocks Solicitors, Preston Woodcocks Haworth & Nuttall Solicitors, Rossendale

Leisure Business Award

Ascent Trampoline Park, Blackpool Crow Wood Leisure, Burnley Holmes Mill, Clitheroe Sunshine Events UK, Ashton Thornton Hall Country Park, Thornton in Craven Winter Gardens Blackpool, Blackpool

Manufacturing Business Award sponsored by Barclays

AluFoldDirect, Blackburn Flavour Warehouse, Darwen MGS Technical Plastics, Blackburn Supalite Tiled Roof Systems, Preston VEKA Group, Burnley Zimpli Kids, Blackburn

Medium Business Award sponsored by Bespoke Digital Agency

AluFoldDirect, Blackburn Anderton Gables, Preston Flavour Warehouse, Darwen MGS Technical Plastics, Blackburn Pure AV, Preston Suresite Group, Preston

New Business Award sponsored by Albert Harrison

FP Drylining, Darwen Fresh Perspective Resourcing, Chorley Hydropaws, Morecambe Play Chest, Thornton Cleveleys Sales Geek, Altham Tac-Grid, Leyland Not-for-profit Business Award

Advocacy Focus, Accrington Community Foundation for Lancashire, Lancashire Derian House Children's Hospice, Chorley Positive Action in the Community, Nelson TAS, Padiham Trinity Hospice Blackpool, Blackpool

Property Business Award sponsored by Harrison Drury

Anderton Gables, Preston Firth Associates, Lytham Jones Melling, Preston M J Catterall, Morecambe S&H Group, Blackburn Tac-Grid, Leyland Small Business Award sponsored by Porsche Centre Bolton

21Digital, Blackburn Ben Shaw Training, Burnley Better2Know, Morecambe Camperversions, Darwen S&H Group, Blackburn Silverwoods Waste Management, Clitheroe