JUDGES for this year’s Bradford Means Business Awards met to determine the winners.
The awards will take place on Thursday, July 20, at the new Walton View Hotel in Tong.
As entries closed, judges met on Wednesday, May 17, at the Great Victoria Hotel to find 11 winners and Business of the Year.
The awards will cover Apprentice of the Year, Family Business, New Business, Best Employer, Manufacturer, SME, Social Mobility and Sustainability, and more, with a new award for Creative Business as Bradford looks ahead to its City of Culture year in 2025.
The judges included: Shafiq Khan, BHP; Shirley Congdon, University of Bradford; Michael Beaumont, Joseph Parr; Leanne Holmes, Bradford BID; Kelly McAllister, Bradford College; Andy Vernon, Solenis; Simmy Sekhon, Sekhon Group; Stephen Wright, Thorite; Justin Kerslake, Christeyns; Will White, Bradford 2025; Natasha Noor, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust; Shak Rafiq, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust; Nasreen Karim, BAME Chamber of Commerce and Satnam Khela from Bradford Council.
The judges’ lunch was chaired by Steve Lowe, sales director at LOCALIQ, the digital arm of the Telegraph & Argus.
Steve said: “We have had a fantastic number of entries this year, across a wide and diverse number of businesses and provided the judges with the toughest challenge to find the three shortlisted and the winner in 11 categories.
“From those 11 winners, the judges then had the difficult task of finding the winner of winners, the best Business of the Year, which, after much debate, we arrived at our final choice.
“I want to thank the judges for giving up their time to judge the awards and to the sponsors for their kind support.”
The award categories are sponsored by: Bradford Council; Bradford College; Blacks Solicitors; Bradford BID; Sekhon Group; Christeyns; Thorite; Joseph Parr; BHP; University of Bradford; Solenis; Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership; Bradford 2025.
Steve added: “We are now preparing for the awards night and look forward to a great night with pre and post-awards entertainment and new host and the new venue.”
Tickets can be purchased now at https://store.newsquest.co.uk/tickets and are limited to a first come first served basis.
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