Hive Blackburn and Darwen Business Awards 2016 winners revealed!

The borough’s best businesses have been crowned winners at the Hive Blackburn and Darwen Business Awards.

Finalists were joined by dignitaries, sponsors, judges and supporters at a black-tie event held at Blackburn Cathedral where the winners were announced and celebrated on stage.

Headline sponsors of the Hive Blackburn and Darwen Business Awards were Blackburn College, Capita and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

Finalists underwent a rigorous judging process at Northcote at the Rovers which sorted the good from the great across a range of categories, including titles for those that showed the most creativity, manufacturing excellence and high growth, as well as young entrepreneur and young employee awards for individuals.

There were also two special awards; the Hive Chairman’s Award, won by Darwen-based soft furnishing firm Hebert Parkinson, and the Arte et Labore award, won by Canon Andrew Hindley of Blackburn Cathedral.

Khalid Saifullah, a director of Star Tissue and chairman of the Hive Network, which hosted the awards, said: “The awards really highlight the fantastic businesses we have within the borough and we’re pleased they’ve taken this opportunity to shout about what they do and celebrate the extraordinary people working for them.”

“Our aim is to showcase the fantastic work being undertaken within the borough, and anybody who looks at the list of finalists and winners will realise what a truly special place Blackburn with Darwen is to do business.”

The host for the evening was ITV weather presenter Emma Jesson, with former High Sheriff Ann Jordan, a non-executive director for the Institute of Directors and chairman of the Blackburn Cathedral Appeal Board of Trustees, as guest speaker.

There was also entertainment from local performers including the Paul Rigby Quartet and Hannah Spurgeon.

The awards were also sponsored by Business and Enterprise Trust, East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Forbes Solicitors, Heritage Envelopes, Maple Grove Developments, Napthens Solicitors, Northcote at the Rovers, Parkinson Signs, Pierce Chartered Accountants, Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE), Ronset, Tauheedul Education Trust, WEC Group, Whittle Jones and With a Twist, with media partners including Lancashire Telegraph, The Bee, Square Cactus and Lancashire Business View.

Full details of the awards can be found here.

A full list of finalists and winners can be found below:

 

The Buzz Award

Winner: Blackburn Business Improvement District (BID)

Finalists:

• King George’s Hall
• The Mall Blackburn
• Thwaites Empire Theatre

Sponsored by: Maple Grove Developments

 

The Commitment to Blackburn and Darwen Award

Winner: Sporting NRG Finalists:

• Age UK, Blackburn with Darwen
• Blackburn College
• MGS Technical Plastics

Sponsored by: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

 

The Creative and Digital Award

Winner: TPW Design Consultants

Finalists:

• Bigtank Productions
• Marmalade Toast
• Thwaites Empire Theatre

Sponsored by: Parkinson Signs

 

The Family Business Award

Winner: Cronshaw Electrical

Finalists:

• Ainsworth Jewellers
• Bryan Lee Building Contractors
• Hobkirk Sewing Machines

Sponsored by: Maple Grove Developments

 

The High Growth Award

Winner: Cronshaw Electrical

Finalists:

• BEK Enviro
• Cardley Group
• Marmalade Toast

Sponsored by: Napthens Solicitors

 

The Innovation Award

Winner: Multihog

Finalists:

• Capita Property & Infrastructure
• Community Clothing
• Heritage Envelopes

Sponsored by: WEC Group

 

The International Achievement Award

Winner: Northern Industrial

Finalists:

• Linzi Jay
• Precision Polymer Engineering
• Verde Ceramica (UK)

Sponsored by: East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce

 

The Investing in Future Skills Award

Winner: TPW Design Consultants

Finalists:

• Cardley Group
• CM Oxendale
• Cronshaw Electrical

Sponsored by: Tauheedul Education Trust

 

The Made in Blackburn and Darwen Manufacturing Award

Winner: Pets Choice

Finalists:

• Darwen Terracotta
• MGS Technical Plastics

Sponsored by: Pierce Chartered Accountants

 

The Newcomer Award

Winner: Darwen Terracotta and Faience Finalists:

• BEK Enviro
• FD Recruit
• Hussain Architectural Design

Sponsored by: Business and Enterprise Trust

 

The Young Employee Award

Winner: Courtney Wright, Bootstrap Enterprises Finalists:

• Rebecca Rawcliffe, Capita
• Carley McKenna, The Mall Blackburn
• Megan Gallacher, With A Twist

Sponsored by: Heritage Envelopes

The Young Entrepreneur Award

Winner: Sonia Duffin, Duffin’s Estate Agents Finalists:

• Daniel Coletta, Chocolat By Daniel Coletta
• Alex Cunliffe, Inkthreadable
• David Lenehan, Northern Industrial

Sponsored by: Whittle Jones

  The Hive Chairman’s Award

• Herbert Parkinson

The Arte et Labore Award

• Canon Andrew Hindley