News
-
Proud night from Dorset's top businesses
5th December 2013Champagne corks popped as the stars of Dorset’s business community stepped into the limelight to accept honours at the prestigious 2013 Dorset Business Awards Gala Dinner, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo.
Taking place at the Lighthouse, Poole, and hosted by BBC South presenter Laura Trant, more than 500 of the region's business people, dignitaries, MPs and press attended the dazzling awards ceremony to pay tribute to the successful, entrepreneurial and fast-rising companies from across the region.
Organised by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Dorset Business Awards have become the largest of its type in the county and the Awards ceremony is a major feature on the county’s annual business calendar.
Peter Scott, chief executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “From a weapons manufacturer to a holiday park and a village shop to a film producer, 10 businesses picked up prizes at the Awards ceremony.
“This year’s Awards had many outstanding entries from across the region, from as far as Ringwood to Bridport and from Portland to Gillingham, and it was great to see such high quality business activity throughout the county. On behalf of all the Award sponsors, I’d like to extend our congratulations to all of this year’s winners and shortlisted finalists. ”
-
Awards night set to dazzle
26th November 2013The excitement is building ahead of this week’s Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo. Known as the premier event on the county’s business calendar, the Dorset Business Awards takes place at the Lighthouse Poole on Thursday (November 28) and more than 500 guests will be flocking to the glittering Awards finale to celebrate the 2013 success stories of the local economy.
Ten successful, entrepreneurial and fast-rising Dorset companies will be put into the spotlight and awarded with one of the accolades. As well as the Awards ceremony, which is to be hosted by BBC’s Laura Trant, guests will be able to celebrate a little longer this year at the ‘after-show’ party. The bar area in the Lighthouse Poole will be transformed following the Awards presentation and a DJ will hit the decks to entertain the county’s socialites.
Organised by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, sponsors are confident the event is going to be sensational. Peter Scott, chief executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says: “This really is one of the highlights in the business calendar. It’s an evening of celebration, inspiration and it’s always been enjoyable.
“This year, we have some exciting businesses shortlisted, from manufacturers to retailers and leisure and hospitality firms to technology specialists. The Awards evening enables the region to celebrate those that are doing well, innovating, recruiting and expanding. We look forward to welcoming finalists and guests to this year’s Awards Gala Dinner.”
The Dorset Business Awards is also backed by the south’s leading radio station Wave 105.
-
Celebrations start early for Dorset Business Awards Finalists
21st November 2013On November 18 Ferndown Golf Club opened its doors to the finalists and sponsors of the Dorset Business Awards to host an exclusive celebration to mark the penultimate stage of the 2013 competition.
Sponsored by the Dorset and South Wiltshire Local Network of The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the Meet the Finalists event saw 30 finalists representing a range of industries, from manufacturing and retailing to hospitality and technology, get together ahead of the Gala Dinner to applaud their success on reaching the finals and find out about the Awards ceremony at the Lighthouse Poole taking place on November 28.
Peter Scott, chief executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says: “We wish to thank the Dorset and South Wiltshire Local Network of the IET for supporting this important occasion. The Meet the Finalists event was a fantastic opportunity for our sponsors to raise their glasses and make a toast to this year’s firms and business people who have made it onto the shortlist. We look forward to announcing the winners at the Awards Gala Dinner, which will be hosted by BBC South Today newsreader Laura Trant, at the end of this month.”
-
Finalists set to meet in penultimate stage of the Dorset Business Awards
12th November 2013Dorset Business Award finalists stretching from Gillingham to Weymouth and Ringwood to Bridport are set to gather at an exclusive drinks reception on Monday November 18 to celebrate reaching the penultimate step in the 2013 competition.
Finalists in this year’s Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, represent a range of industries, from manufacturing and retailing to hospitality and technology. They will all get together at a Sponsors and Finalists drinks reception, sponsored by the Dorset and South Wiltshire Local Network of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET,) at Ferndown Golf Club on 18 November 2013.
The reception will provide finalists with the opportunity to celebrate their achievements, meet award sponsors and other shortlisted finalists as well as find out about the Awards Gala Dinner.
John Savage, Chairman of the Dorset and South Wiltshire Local Network of the IET, says: “The aim our network is to raise awareness of science, engineering and technology in the region and the Meet the Finalists event will be a perfect forum for us to do this. With several of this year’s finalists working within the engineering and technology profession, it is evident that these sectors are thriving in Dorset. We wish everyone the best of luck.”
-
Region’s most celebrated business awards competition announces its Finalists
29th October 2013After much deliberation and spirited debate, the Finalists in the 2013 Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, have been chosen.
Judging panels for each Award category spent hours working through 134 entries in order to produce the final shortlist of companies.
Organised by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also backed by the South’s leading radio station Wave 105, this year’s Awards generated significant interest from within the region’s business community and entries came from a diverse range of organisations in the area. There are Finalists stretching from Gillingham to Weymouth and Ringwood to Bridport and the names of the winners will remain a closely guarded secret until the glittering Awards Gala Dinner at the Lighthouse Poole on Thursday November 28, hosted by BBC South Today newsreader Laura Trant.
Peter Scott, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says: “This year’s Awards have drawn an unprecedented number of entries and we are amazed by the exceptional level of growth, success and entrepreneurship the entrants have displayed.
“Sponsors of the Dorset Business Awards would like to thank all the businesses that took the time and effort to enter this year and wish all the finalists the very best of luck.”
-
Record breaking year for Dorset Business Awards
19th September 2013The organisers of the Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, are delighted to announce that a record number of companies have entered the 2013 Awards. With more than 130 companies with BH or DT postcode entering, entries stretch from as far as Ringwood to Bridport and from Portland to Gillingham and this highlights how prestigious the Dorset Business Awards truly are.
With entries closing on Tuesday September 10, individual panels of judges representing each award category have started the challenging process to identify Dorset’s best businesses. Judges will need to whittle down the hundreds of entries to come up with shortlists for each of the 10 award categories.
Judges are evaluating each category to shortlist 30 finalists, three for each award, from the submitted entries.
-
Last call for entries to the Dorset Business Awards
3rd September 2013Next Tuesday, September 10, is the entry deadline for the 2013 Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, and businesses and entrepreneurs across the County are being urged to enter before it’s too late.
With the deadline fast approaching, Sponsors of the Awards want to see as many firms and individuals take part as possible to make the competition even bigger and better than last year.
Peter Scott, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry, says: “We’re delighted with the tremendous response we have had to the Awards this year, but would like to remind potential entrants that there is still time to get submissions in. Winning an Award offers great opportunities. Winning can provide a chance to showcase the company to customers and suppliers, winning can deliver credibility and status and winning can also raise profile, therefore opening doors to new customers and suppliers. Plus, an Award paves the way for considerable press coverage.”
-
Get your entries in NOW to be considered for a Dorset Business Award!
27th August 2013With the annual business battle set to finish in two weeks, sponsors of the Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, are urging firms that have not yet submitted an entry to do so by Tuesday September 10.
The Awards have been the highlight of the Dorset business calendar for the last 19 years and this year looks set to be no different. The winners will be revealed on Thursday November 28 at the Lighthouse, Poole, as part of an evening of quality entertainment in the presence of Dorset’s esteemed businesses.
-
Retail Excellence Award back by popular demand!
19th August 2013Back by popular demand to the Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, the Retail Excellence Award sponsored by the Dolphin Shopping Centre is looking to discover and highlight the best examples of work in the county’s retail industry for the second year running.
-
Firm family ties to be awarded
12th August 2013Many businesses in Dorset are family-owned, stretching back for generations, and the Sponsors of the 2013 Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, are set to recognise and celebrate the exceptional contribution family businesses have made to the County’s economy, history and culture.
-
Service with a smile
5th August 2013Good or bad, customer service has always been closely tied to the fortunes of businesses and brands. But, the dominance of social media, review sites and easy online searching is increasingly magnifying that relationship. Experiences are being shared more widely than ever before and determining whether customers become loyal to a business.
-
KPMG & Lester Aldridge Company of the Year Award your chance to shine!
30th July 2013Organisers of the Dorset Business Awards, the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are pleased to welcome back leading law firm Lester Aldridge to the portfolio of award category sponsors. Lester Aldridge has confirmed its support for Dorset’s most prestigious award programme and is co-sponsoring the KPMG & Lester Aldridge Company of the Year Award.
Lester Aldridge’s support of the Dorset Business Awards, which is in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, originally commenced in 1994 and following a six year break the law firm is returning to the sponsor line-up. For the 2013 competition, the law firm joins forces with KPMG, the longest serving Dorset Business Award sponsor, in the annual search to acknowledge a business that exhibits all-round excellence and achievement.
-
Leading lights to be acknowledged
22nd July 2013To recognise those individuals who go the extra mile in delivering excellent results for their firms, organisers of the Dorset Business Awards in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo have introduced the Employee of the Year Award, sponsored by Hays, the leading recruiting expert, to the 2013 award listing.
New for this year, the Hays Employee of the Year Award has been established to recognise the hard work and professionalism of a member of staff who has exceeded expectations and made a real contribution to the success of a business. The company will need to enter the Award on behalf of the employee and the nominee will have had at least two years’ experience in the business.
-
Dorset leaders being sought to enter Entrepreneur of the Year Award
15th July 2013Dorset business leaders who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, drive and entrepreneurial flair while growing their organisations are being sought to enter the 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, part of the Dorset Business Awards in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo.
Sponsored by Bournemouth University, last year’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award was presented to Paul Woods, managing director of Astute Ltd, a business-to-business marketing services agency. The judges commented that Paul ‘demonstrated that his agency has sustained growth in a competitive and demanding global market through a having a clear vision and strong management.’
Title holder Paul Woods says: “I was completely surprised and delighted to win the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Winning created a great internal buzz, a feel-good factor within the firm, and our clients received our award-winning news extremely well.
-
Firms that help put Dorset on the tourist map encouraged to enter Dorset Business Awards
10th July 2013With the Olympics, Paralympics and Diamond Jubilee improving the UK’s reputation overseas and creating new interest in the country as a place to visit in 2013 *, Dorset’s tourism industry is set to up its game to attract overseas visitors to the region following the extensive international exposure generated by the success of 2012 events.
To recognise the important role this industry plays in the region’s economy, firms are being encouraged to enter for the Dorset Tourism Award, part of the Dorset Business Awards in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, and join The Harbour Hotels group and Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre on the winners’ list.
Sponsored by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Liz Lean PR, the Dorset Tourism Award is open to any business with a BH or DT postcode, which is accessible on a seasonal or year-round basis, and can demonstrate that excellence in service, customer care, hospitality and marketing are regarded as core business objectives.
-
Entrepreneurial business woman urged to highlight their success
1st July 2013Barclays is calling on business people from across the region to join in the search for Dorset’s leading business woman for 2013.
For the second year, Barclays are proud to sponsor the Business Women of the Year Award within the Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, and are now seeking entries for 2013 prior to the deadline of Tuesday September 10.
As inventor of the world’s first leak proof potty and supporter of numerous initiatives to tackle problems associated with the environmental impact of nappy landfill, Amanda Jenner of My Carry Potty was awarded with the inaugural 2012 Business Women of the Year Award. Last year Amanda sold 54,000 potties in 27 countries, making a gross profit of £100,000, and in 2013 she aims to increase production to at least 75,000 units.
-
Award to acknowledge firms making a difference to the community seeks entries
24th June 2013Sponsors of the Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, are calling on the best examples of responsible business in the county to enter this year’s Business Engagement with the Community Award, sponsored by J.P. Morgan.
With judges looking to identify finalists that can show they are leading on corporate social responsibility within the Dorset community, firms building positive links with the community should consider putting themselves forward for this category.
The winner of this category will be able to provide details of community initiatives, particularly those that involve employee engagement, and illustrate the impact these have had on the local community, employees, customers and suppliers.
In 2012, the Norfolk Royale Hotel (now the Norfolk Hotel) in Bournemouth was acknowledged for its support to the not-for-profit specialist housing and social care provider BCHA. The hotel implemented a project to allow staff and guests to suggest ways they could help the charity with its aim to help homeless and vulnerable people access housing, health, learning and work opportunities. Initiatives introduced included the donation of crockery, toiletries and food, work placement opportunities for BCHA clients followed by full-time employment at the hotel as well as a donation of £1 from guests for each hotel reservation.
-
Firms supporting business stars of tomorrow to be acknowledged in county’s business awards
20th June 2013To recognise companies with the most outstanding and high quality apprenticeship programmes in the county, the Apprenticeship Training Award, sponsored by Superior, is open for entries in this year’s Dorset Business Awards. Impressed with the level of entries in 2012, judges will be looking to add another firm to the Dorset Business Awards’ prestigious list of winners.
In association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, the Dorset Business Awards introduced an apprenticeship award to the competition in 2011. Originally acknowledging apprentices working in the engineering and electrical industry, last year the award category was opened up to all industry sectors and recognition was given to the firm providing the apprenticeship scheme. Scissors, a local market leader in hair style, was acknowledged with the Apprenticeship Training Award in 2012 due to the outstanding learning experience its apprenticeship programme delivers.
-
Lester Aldridge is proud to support the 2013 Dorset Business Awards
18th June 2013Leading Bournemouth based law firm Lester Aldridge is proud to be jointly sponsoring the Company of the Year Award at the DorsetBusiness Awards 2013, along with accountants KPMG.
The annual awards, organised by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are an important recognition of business achievements throughout the county. This year there are 10 awards, covering a diverse range of businesses from multinationals to small family run concerns, ensuring that there is an opportunity for everyone to participate.
-
2013 Dorset Business Awards launch at Deans Court, Wimborne
13th June 2013Sponsors of the 2013 Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, are set to begin their annual mission to search for the very best examples of Dorset’s business successes following the launch of this year’s Awards in the historic grounds of 11th century Deans Court in Wimborne on Wednesday June 12.