Glittering night at the Oxfordshire Business Awards

On Friday the whole spectrum of trade and commerce, from refuse firms to crocodile sanctuaries, met to celebrate “another wonderful year” for the county’s businesses.

County council adoption agencies, apprenticeship firms and coffee shops all received accolades as part of a varied evening.

Fifteen awards, including the prestigious Business of the Year Award, were handed out by radio presenter Toby Anstis, who hosted the ceremony two years ago.

Paul Lowe, chairman of the Oxfordshire Business Awards’ organising committee, and operations director at Darbys solicitors, said: “It’s an incredible event, we’ve had a great response from everyone and Toby Anstis is a great host.

“It’s great to have him back.

“But most importantly it’s just great to celebrate Oxfordshire businesses.

“There are people from all across the county and it just shows how vibrant and thriving the businesses in Oxfordshire really are.”

A total of 15 companies and individuals walked away with accolades, which were sponsored by groups as varied as Oxford Brookes, Heart FM and The Oxford Times.

Awards varied from apprenticeship schemes and charities of the year, to business person’s and large businesses of the year.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AND OXFORDSHIRE APPRENTICESHIPS APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR

KIDLINGTON-BASED electrical contractor Darke and Taylor won both the apprenticeship of the year award and the overall business of the year award, which was sponsored by last year's overall winner Oxford Products.

The group was set up more than 50 years ago and operates apprenticeship schemes throughout the company, which currently employs over 400 apprentices.

All 12 of the people who came to accept both of the awards had begun in the company as an apprentice.

Managing director Paul McNaughton said: “It’s a wonderful feeling and it is all down to our staff that we have been recognised.”

THE OXFORD TIMES CHARITY & COMMUNITY AWARD

AUTISM and learning disability charity the Yellow Submarine won The Oxford Times-sponsored community award, for setting up its cafe in Oxford which is staffed by volunteers with learning disabilities or autism.

The charity, which is based in Park End Street, helps people with learning disabilities, in particular autism and Down’s syndrome, live lives to the full.

Toby Staveley said: “We’re delighted, it’s fantastic to get this award and it’s a reflection of our staff that we were awarded this.”

SHAW GIBBS YOUNG BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AND BLUE BY DARBYS SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

FORMER contestant on TV show The Apprentice Lee McQueen was recognised as young business person of the year and his business, Raw Talent Academy, was named small business of the year.

The father-of-three was delighted to receive his first award, where he said: “Genuinely this means more to me than winning the apprentice, it is amazing to have been recognised for my work.”

Mr McQueen set up the Raw Talent Academy, which specialises in recruitment and training in sales and is based in Watlington, after he won The Apprentice in 2008.

He added: “I’ve got some incredibly committed staff and it’s all a team effort.

“Winning two awards, I think of it like a football team winning the Premier League and the FA Cup.”

SHAW GIBBS BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR

CHIEF executive of law firm Brethertons, Shaun Jardine, was named the person of the year for his work at the practice, and being a “serial opportunist”.

Mr Jardine said: “This award is more about the incredible staff and workforce we have in Oxfordshire.

“I say this to many people, I’m only driving the car, the people working at Brethertons are the machine.”

INCHCAPE MERCEDES-BENZ RETAIL AWARD

ESTABLISHED 40 years ago on the edge of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, Burford Garden Centre has flourished and employs 160 people.

The centre has received the Silver Gilt at the Chelsea Flower Show and the Oxfordshire Restaurant of the Year award.

Co-owner and director Louise Johnson said: “It’s wonderful and a real privilege to be recognised.”

FOUR PILLARS CULTURAL EVENTS AND TOURISM AWARD

THE UK’s only crocodile zoo was given the tourism award after only being open for four years.

Based in Brize Norton, Crocodiles of the World was set up by father-of-three Shaun Foggett, above, who sold his house to fund the project.

The foundation has 100 residents and 15 different species of crocodiles, alligators and caiman. It is also a registered charity committed to protecting and advancing crocodile conservation.

On receiving the award, Mr Foggett said: “I’m completely gobsmacked that we have just won the award.

“We have only been running for four years but we are going from strength to strength.”

HEART FM MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARD

THE county council’s fostering and adoption agency was awarded the marketing excellence award for its efforts to help find families for children who cannot live with their birth parents.

The agency was considered for the award for its work to “open up people’s minds to the idea that they can adopt.”

The organisation works with foster carers, adopters and anyone who wants to apply to foster and adopt.

Marketing manager Maria White said: “It’s been a huge amount of work but we have persevered to change children’s lives.”

OXFORDSHIRE LEP NEW BUSINESS AWARD

FOREIGN exchange company Fidelis was given the new business award after setting up in March 2013.

The company, which is based at the Oxford Business Park, claims that it has had “phenomenal growth” since they started trading.

Employee Meghna Lakhami said: “We’re committed to working for our customers.”

NATWEST LARGE BUSINESS AWARD

WASTE management firm Grundon was named the large business of the year.

Founded in 1929, the family-owned firm operates from depots across the south of England but are headquartered in Benson, Oxfordshire.

Employee Owen George said: “It’s a real privilege to be nominated and given the large business of the year award.

“It’s such a prestigious award and there were some exceptional nominees in our category.”

RIDGEWAY DIGITAL INNOVATION AWARD

PRINT, marketing and design company Hunts was awarded the digital innovation award.

The Kidlington-based company specialises in helping clients to advertise online and in print.

Technical manager Mark Weisman said: “We have been trying to do something affordable for a number of years and to be recognised as a business in our own right has been brilliant.”

OWEN MUMFORD EXPORT AWARD

ONLINE marketing company Zinc Ahead was awarded the export award for its work overseas.

The firm also has operations in the USA, Central Europe and Asia.

CEO James Brown said: “We’re delighted to have won the award, there’s 200 people around the globe that contributed to this award.”

OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY INNOVATION AWARD

CHEMICAL analysis company Cobalt Light Systems, based at Milton Park, was given the innovation award, sponsored by Oxford Brookes.

Its technology is used for airport security screening of liquids, biomedical trials to screen people for diseases such as osteoporosis and the verification of raw materials in pharmaceutical production. Chief operating officer Craig Tombling said: “We’re absolutely delighted.”

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

SOHA HOUSING manages more than 6,000 social housing buildings across Oxfordshire and was recognised as the county’s employer of the year.

The not-for-profit housing association expanded the homes it managed last year by building 309 new homes.

Employee Rachel Dredge said: “It’s an absolutely fantastic company but it’s the teamwork of everyone who works here that makes it such a fantastic workplace.”