Oxfordshire Business Awards celebrate success

With the stunning backdrop of the award-winning John Henry Building, Oxfordshire celebrated the 24^th annual business awards at Oxford Brookes University.

More than 450 guests came together to celebrate business excellence. It was the first such awards event the university has held in its new building and it was a roaring success.

Companies from across the county were competing in 14 categories.

The Oxford Time Charity and Community Awards

Winner: Restore. This charity supports people with mental ill health to recover, set and achieve goals and secure work or volunteering.

Finalists: Donnington Doorstep, Play2Give

The Hays Employer of the Year Awards

Winner: Oxford Products. Based at Witney, this company is a leading global supplier of motorcycle and bicycle products. Read our interview with Andrew Hammond, CEO, in this issue.

Finalists: Nielson, Ridge & Partners LLP

The Oxford Science Park Innovation Award

Winner: Adaptix, based at the Science Park Centre for Industrial Innovation at Yarnton. This company’s patented technology allows portable low-cost, low-dose 3D imaging which are easier to read than traditional x-rays.

Finalists: Aigenpulse, ZapGo

The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership New Business Award

Winner: TOAD. The Oxford Artisan Distillery is the city’s first distillery, uniquely growing its own grain sustainably and organically in fields close to Oxford.

Finalists: Aigenpulse, Ethos Technology

The Knights 1759 Small Business Award

Winner: Seacourt is a Cowley-based green printing company, which uses its own LED waterless printing technology and works within the circular economy.

Finalists: CQR, The Cocktail Service

The NatWest Large Business Awards

Winner: Oxford Products. Oxford Products currently employs around 130 staff from its 100,000 sq ft headquarters. This will be extended by half in 2019 to facilitate further growth.

Finalists: Audley Travel, Hedges Law

The Shaw Gibbs Young Business Person of the Year Award

Winner: Tom Cutler. Along with co-founder Adam Gilbourne, Tom founded online furniture retailer Laura James. The team has filled a gap in the market by providing well made, well package products at affordable prices.

Finalists: Paul Roberts, Aspire Oxford; Marcus Taylor, Venture Harbour

The CIS Technology Excellence Awards

Winner: Sesui. Based at the Oxford Science Park, Sesui is an innovator of cloud communications software.

Finalist: Vitaccess

The Heart Cultural Events and Tourism Award

Winner: Experience Oxfordshire. This official destination management organisation for the county is the trading arm of the parent charity, The Experience Oxfordshire Charitable Trust.

Finalists: Bicester Heritage, Oxford Christmas Market

The Brita Green Award

Winner: Seacourt. This printing company was also been recognised in 2017 by the European Commission as Europe’s most sustainable SME.

Finalists: Oxford Energy Academy, Royal Cars

The Syndicut Marketing Excellence Award

Winner: The Shake Shop. This business selling milkshakes is located in a grade 2 listed building overlooking Witney high street.

Finalists: Crichleys, Pampeano

The Bicester Village Retail Award

Winner: Specsavers, Bicester. This franchise was opened 21 years ago and is now a thriving business in the town.

Finalists: The Old Flight House, TOAD

The Shaw Gibbs Business Person of the Year Award

Winner: Mike Lawton, Oxford Space Systems. The business was founded by Mike at Harwell Campus in 2013. It is an early stage space technology business which is developing a new generation of deployable antennas and structures that are lighter, less complex and lower cost than many currently in commercial demand.

Finalists: Andrew Hammond, Oxford Products; Greg Inge, CQR

The Hawkins Business of the Year Award

Winner: Oxford Space Systems