The next generation of business leaders honoured at Young ’Uns Awards 2015

Lancashire’s young business people celebrated on Friday at Lancashire Business View’s Young ‘Uns Awards 2015 as the next generation of movers, shakers and decision makers were crowned at the wild west themed shindig held at Winter Gardens’ Spanish Ballroom in Blackpool.

From legal eagles to digital dynamos, red-hot retailers to globetrotting international traders, those making waves in business in the county were recognised across 13 categories including High Flying Young ’Un and Young ’Un of the Year.

A full list of the winners can be found below.

The awards were organised by Lancashire Business View magazine and backed by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), Boost Business Lancashire and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View, said: “The response we’ve had to the Young ‘Uns Awards 2015 has been terrific and it’s fantastic to celebrate with the finalists and winners tonight.

“Young ‘Uns started life as a feature in our magazine, profiling the sharpest business minds aged 36 and under. Eventually, we had so many fantastic stories that it became obvious we needed to honour them properly.”

Dharma Kovvuri, Dean of Lancashire Business School at UCLan added: “We’ve had a great response to the awards. Lancashire is such a great place to be a young person in business so we are delighted to have played a key part in this year’s event.”

Andrew Leeming, senior project officer for Boost Business Lancashire commented: “It’s a real privilege to be involved in an event of this kind, supporting and celebrating the county’s young business stars and leaders of the future. We urge all young business people to get themselves nominated next year!”

Gary Lovett, director at FSB commented: “Nurturing tomorrow’s business leaders is absolutely vital for the future prosperity of the Lancashire economy.

“We have seen the Young Uns brand develop and really become established within the county and we are delighted to be part of these awards.”

Other sponsors include 3Man Factory, Barton Grange Hotel, Business Enterprise Trust, Denwa, Harrison Drury Solicitors, Preston’s College, Peter Scott Printers, Square Cactus, Sunshine Events, Vedas Recruitment and Winter Gardens Blackpool.

Young ’Uns 2015 Winners

ENTREPRENEURIAL YOUNG ’UN  

Name: Alan Frew

Business: Community Life Choices, Preston Runners up: Dawood Fard, Centurus, Preston Kerrie Norman, Flinders Chase, Skelmersdale Alexander Shannon, SousVide Tools, Lancaster

YOUNG ’UN IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE    

Name: David Lenehan

Business: Northern Industrial, Blackburn

Runners up:

Dawood Fard, Centurus, Preston Ben Ferguson, H2o Designs UK, Clitheroe Daniel Tynan, New Call Telecom, Nelson

YOUNG ’UN IN CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY

Name: Daniel Brearley

Business: Bryanlee Building Contractors, Blackburn

Runners up: Ryan Stocks, Aldrock Surveyors, Blackburn Russ Leonard, Chosen Homes, Poulton-le-Fylde Emma Mycock, Globe Enterprises, Accrington

YOUNG ’UN APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

Name: Brittany Mollart

Business: Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Preston

Runners up:

Richard Gill, Burnley Leisure Trust, Burnley Lyle Davy, Roaming Roosters, Higham Chelsea Parker, Silentnight, Barnoldswick

YOUNG ’UN IN CREATIVE AND DIGITAL

Name: Amelia Worrall

Business: Aware Communications, Chorley

Runners up: Kate Silvers, Farleys Solicitors, Blackburn Helen Stuart, Farm Creative, Bilsborrow Natasha Robson, Wyldfire PR and Marketing, Chorley

YOUNG ’UN IN MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING

Name: Annette Weekes

Business: PDS Engineering, Nelson

Runners up: Ben Ferguson, H2o Designs UK, Clitheroe Paul Hardy, Hardy Services, Hapton Paul Peak, REM (UK), Nelson

HIGH FLYING YOUNG ’UN

Name: Henry Worsley

Business: Andrew Porter, Chorley

Runners up: Chantel O’Reilly, Community Life Choices, Preston Chris Porter, Denwa, Barrowford Lisa Mullally, Fairport Containers, Adlington

YOUNG ’UN IN LAW  

Name: Pauline Rigby

Business: Forbes Solicitors, Blackburn

Runners up:

Stephen Greenwood, Farleys Solicitors, Blackburn James Robbins, Harrison Drury, Preston David Edwards, Harrison Drury, Preston

YOUNG ’UN IN RETAIL

Name: Jordan Kemp

Business: Benedicts of Whalley, Whalley

Runners up: Joe Taylor, Allied Lighting, Preston Andrew Derbyshire, MendIT, Hapton Sophie Nash, Ruby & Daisy, Rossendale

YOUNG ’UN IN FINANCE

Name: Nick Howarth

Business: Taylor Patterson, Preston

Runners up: James Morris, Baker Tilly, Preston Jo Fulthorpe, Business Enterprise Trust, Accrington Laurence O’Connor, Financial Affairs, Burnley

YOUNG ’UN IN TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

Name: Josh Gartside

Business: The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston

Runners up: Lyndsey Wilson, Culturapedia, Blackburn Laura Crabb, Marketing Lancashire, Leyland Megan Gallacher, With a Twist Catering, Darwen

YOUNG ’UN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR 

Business: Tom Grattan, Lancaster

Runners up:

Aware Communications, Chorley Grassroots Wholesale Foods, Altham SignDox, Preston

THE YOUNG ’UN OF 2015       

Name: Annette Weekes

Business: PDS Engineering, Nelson