Shortlist revealed for return of Red Rose Awards

The Red Rose Awards, Lancashire’s biggest business awards, has revealed the shortlist for its first post-pandemic celebration.

106 companies, ranging from start-ups to established global brands, will now progress to the presentations round, where they will be given one final chance to put forward their best case before a panel of expert judges.

The identities of those winners will be kept top secret until they are revealed on stage at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on Thursday 25 November 2021.

The event promises to be a celebration unlike any other. The black-tie evening attracts an audience of more than 1,000 each year and is usually held during the month of March, but was postponed this year due to lockdown restrictions.

The decision to move the date of the event now allows for all shortlisted hopefuls and their supporters and peers to celebrate together, in person, enjoying fine Lancashire’s finest food and entertainment.

Oliver Burton, CEO at Forbes Solicitors, headline sponsors of the awards for the eleventh year, said “After the last two years, every business should be proud of what they have achieved.  Entrants have been resilient, reinvented, pivoted and spotted opportunity in this new world. This has made shortlisting this year an even harder task than usual.  Congratulations to all those who have been shortlisted.  I can’t wait for the Return of Red Rose Awards.”

John Stanworth, head of corporate banking at Barclays in Lancashire, a headline sponsor for eight years, added: “As always the award entries have been of a very high standard making judging a very difficult job indeed! We are looking forward to meeting the finalists at the next stage and celebrating their successes on the night of the awards.”

Sarah Hall, head of business development at Blackpool and The Fylde College who are judging partner for the awards said: “We are proud to support the awards and celebrate the success of local businesses. With the high calibre of entries the awards attract, it is always exciting to be involved and interact with some very entrepreneurial, forward thinking and dynamic businesses.”

Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View and founder of the Red Rose Awards, said: “It has been fantastic to see a record-breaking number of entries flood in for this year’s awards after what has been a most difficult year for everybody.

“We have heard so many positive, optimistic stories of survival and success that demonstrate our county really is built on ingenuity, grit and determination, and I can’t wait until the judging event so that we can meet all of the new businesses and catch up with all the familiar faces who have made the shortlist.”

Richard added: “The Red Rose Awards is an evening of celebration, making new contacts and fun, and we’re thrilled that we are able to host it in 2021.”

The two days of presentations and in-person judging will take place on September 22 and 23 at Ewood Park, the home of Blackburn Rovers. All finalists will be invited to a new and exclusive online interview preparation session with three-time winners of Red Rose Awards 2020, Sales Geek on 15 September.

The Red Rose Awards are in association with Forbes Solicitors and Barclays. The judging partner is Blackpool and The Fylde College. The awards are also sponsored by Azets, Bigtank Video Productions, Business Health Matters, Campbell & Rowley, Cube Thinking, Eventus Recruitment Group, Ewood Experience, Four Recruitment, Harrison Drury Solicitors, Marketing Lancashire, Matrix 247, Mattioli Woods, Napthens Solicitors, Pendle Engineering, Peter Scott Printers, Pink Link, PM+M, Porsche Centre Bolton, Rowan Group, Sales Geek, Seriun, SparesVault, Sundown Solutions, The Fun Experts, Two Zero, United Utilities and University of Central Lancashire. The charity partner is Community Foundation for Lancashire.

RRA21 finalists: 

Built Environment Award
Sponsored by Harrison Drury Solicitors

Anderton Gables
Conlon Construction
David Cox Architects
Eric Wright Group
Fox Group
Hpa Chartered Architects
Wareing Buildings

Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Sponsored by Sundown Solutions

Chorley Building Society
Community and Business Partners
Farleys Solicitors
JD Engineering
Like Technologies
Sapphire Utility Solutions
VEKA

Customer Service Award
Sponsored by Seriun

Blackpool Transport Services
Connect Childcare
CoverMyBubble
CUBE HR
Forest Group
Matrix247
Progress Housing Group

Employer of the Year Award
Sponsored by Four Recruitment

Ascentis
Bespoke Healthcare
Connect 2 Cleanrooms
Crow Wood Leisure
Lantei
Like Technologies
Verdant Leisure

Export Award   
Sponsored by PM+M

Attock Network Products
N&J Aluminium Linings
Northern Industrial
Paradigm Precision Burnley
Presspart Manufacturing
Process Instruments
YourZooki

Family Business Award
Sponsored by Napthens Solicitors

Assured Cleaning Services
Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses
EnergyAce
Forest Group
Mantle Packaging Machinery
T Forrest
The Whitehall Hotel

Go Green Award
Sponsored by Mattioli Woods

Carters Building Consultancy
Glasgows
Lancaster House Hotel
Miralis Data
RecycleIT
Silverwoods Waste Management
The Bee Centre

Health and Wellbeing Award
Sponsored by Business Health Matters

Advocacy Focus
Breathe Therapies
Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing
Mindsight
Pendleside Hospice
RJ8
YOLO Wellbeing 

Innovation in Business Award
Sponsored by University of Central Lancashire

Air Filtration Solutions
Blue Wren
CoolKit
ECO Surv
Higher People
Process Instruments
Redmoor Health

Large Business Award
Sponsored by Forbes Solicitors

BMP Europe
CMAC Group
Eric Wright Group
Fox Group
Paradigm Precision Burnley
Presspart Manufacturing
Sapphire Utility Solutions

Made in Lancashire Award         
Sponsored by Barclays

BMP Europe
Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses
CoolKit
Greenbank Technology
MGS Technical Plastics
Presspart Manufacturing
VEKA

Marketing Agency Award
Sponsored by Peter Scott Printers

21Digital
Bigtank Productions
Door4
Glasgows
novi.digital
Red-Fern Media
Think!Creative

Medium Business Award
Sponsored by Azets

Connect 2 Cleanrooms
Glasgows
Greenbank Technology
Matrix247
MGS Technical Plastics
Skiddle
Sporting NRG

New Business Award
Sponsored by Matrix247

A Toast in the Post
Carnforth Pharmacy
FrameX
Gordian Building Solutions
Little Legs Fabrics
RJ8
Will's

Not-for-profit Business Award
Sponsored by United Utilities

Advocacy Focus
Blackburn Youth Zone
Breathe Therapies
Community and Business Partners
Mindsight
Pendleside Hospice
West Lanchasire Crisis and Information Centre

Professional Services Award
Sponsored by Eventus Recruitment Group

Asset Finance Solutions
Brabners
Brown and Co
Jones Harris
Simply Corporate
Specialist Taxation Services
Spencer Hayes Group

Resilience Award
Sponsored by Cube Thinking

Advocacy Focus
Barcadia Media
Laura Hartley Recruitment
Pendleside Hospice
Primary ENGINEER
The Fun Experts
Thornton Hall Country Park

Retail Business Award
Sponsored by SparesVault by Northern Industrial

GHW Windows
icon kitchen studio
Little Legs Fabrics
Luxus Design
Prestige Beds
The Whalley Wine Shop
Tile Mart

Scale-up Award
Sponsored by Two Zero

ECO Surv
Innovator International
Gordian Building Solutions
Lantei
Spencer Clarke Group
Sundown Solutions
YourZooki

Small Business Award
Sponsored by Rowan Executive Search

Barcadia Media
Blue Wren
CUBE HR
Elektec
iControl Sports Training Systems
Redmoor Health
Silverwoods Waste Management

Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Business Award
Sponsored by Porsche Centre Bolton

Ellis's
Lancaster House Hotel
Mrs Dowsons Farm Park
The Bee Centre
Thornton Hall Country Park
Verdant Leisure
Winter Gardens Blackpool