Past winners return to support Red Rose Awards

Three winners from the 2022 Red Rose Awards - who took home a collective six trophies between them - have stepped up to support next year’s awards as sponsors.

Burnley-based Equestrian Surfaces, winner of the Green Award, Blackburn-based Serconnect, winner of both the New Business and Small Business Award, and Colne-based ELE Advanced Technologies, which completed a rare hat-trick with the Innovation Award, Made in Lancashire Award and Scale-Up Award, have all signed on as sponsors for the forthcoming programme.

The 13th iteration of the popular event takes place on 9 March 2023 at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. It promises to bring plenty of new ideas - including new categories, a new judging venue and new sponsors.

Equestrian Surfaces sponsors the runway at the awards.

James Harper, managing director, said: “Winning the Red Rose Awards was such a proud moment for us. Being selected as winner by an independent panel of judges means that people outside of our business - outside of our industry - have looked at what we do and given us a pat on the back.

“Winning the award has given us confidence in what we do, it’s a reward for our staff, it’s helped raise our profile, and it’s opened new doors.”

James added: “We are always looking for new ways to give back to our community, and by supporting the Red Rose Awards we’re helping other businesses to follow in our footsteps and to experience everything that we have experienced.”

Serconnect sponsors the Customer Service Award.

Frank Bamber, director, said: “I’d previously seen how great the awards ceremony looked on social media and the event itself more than lived up to expectations. Winning has been even better. It’s been a huge confidence boost and has helped established our reputation within Lancashire and within our industry.

“These winners are selected by a judging panel, who are very thorough in what they do. It’s not an awards ceremony where the one with the most public votes wins. So if you’re selected, that’s huge kudos, a sign that you’re doing the right thing.

“Despite our team members having decades of experience each, we’re relatively new as a business. So winning awards of this calibre helps us demonstrate our capabilities.”

Frank added: “Customer service is integral to everything we do, our focus is always on the experience of the end user. By sponsoring the Customer Service Award, we’re helping to shine a spotlight on the businesses in the county that do this well and hopefully telling their stories will inspire others.”

ELE Advanced Technologies sponsors the Skills Award

David Stanley, finance director, said: “We had never entered any awards of any kind before last year, but our growth programme suggested it as a way to raise our profile, and it has certainly done that and more.

“Putting forward a nomination forces you to reflect on your strengths and achievements and that is a very rewarding experience. The in-person judging was a fantastic networking opportunity that has resulted in us doing business with a number of people that we met along the way, and the awards night itself was a fantastic team-bonding moment.”

He added: “As advanced engineers, recruiting and retaining top-quality talent is essential to what we do. And that’s the same across all industries, it’s all about the people you employ. Sponsoring this award helps us support the other employers and the training providers - from all industries and backgrounds - who are doing great work to upskill the county.”

Stephen Bolton, managing director of Lancashire Business View, which hosts the Red Rose Awards, said: “We are exceptionally proud that these three businesses have been so keen to get involved again. Not just as entrants hoping to win an award, but as supporters.

“We have always designed these awards to be about more than just winning a trophy and Equestrian Surfaces, Serconnect and ELE Advanced Technologies are great examples of that. There is value in every step of the process, from entering, to judging, the night itself and taking part in the winners’ package. And now, these three businesses get to be a part of the process and to help other organisations in Lancashire to enjoy the experience.”

“We thank them for their support and looking forward to working with them.”

Forbes Solicitors, headline sponsor every year since the inaugural event in 2011, returns alongside Barclays, which has sponsored the event for each of the last ten years.

Entries are now open until midnight, Friday 9 December 2022 at www.redroseawards.co.uk

The Awards are sponsored by Alcidion, AMRC North West, Azets, Bigtank Video Productions, Burnley Football Club, Campbell and Rowley, Chorley Council, Community & Business Partners, Cube Thinking, Daniel Thwaites, ELE Advanced Technologies, Four Recruitment, Fox Group, Harrison Drury Solicitors, Marketing Lancashire, Mattioli Woods, Mytton Fold, Napthens, Peter Scott Printers, Pierce, Pink Link, PM+M, Porsche Centre Bolton, Porsche Centre Preston, RSM, Sales Geek, Serconnect, The Fun Experts, United Utilities and University of Central Lancashire.

The Red Rose Awards are supported by Brewin Dolphin, Partners&, Shout Connect and Winter Gardens. Lancaster University is the Judging Partner.

The charity partner is Community Foundation for Lancashire.