BRADFORD MEANS BUSINESS AWARDS 2021: Nominate your firm…

BRADFORD MEANS BUSINESS AWARDS 2021: Nominate your firm now

DOES your company deserve recognition for its hard work over the last year, which has been a particularly difficult time for many businesses?

Could your firm be the best employer across Bradford, a top class manufacturer or SME, or have you started a new successful business?

Is your company’s apprentice programme training the best and brightest, or are you placing a high emphasis on family values, sustainability or social mobility?

If any of these attributes sound like they fit your firm, then make sure to nominate them for the Bradford Means Business Awards 2021, which return for the first time in two years.

While the 2020 awards unfortunately had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s black tie gala dinner and ceremony promises to be back with all the usual glitz and will be held on the evening of September 30.

There are ten categories, and this year there are a number of changes, with two new categories for 2021, as well as two categories introduced in 2020, but never awarded.

These are Tech Company of the Year and Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year, as well as Sustainability Award and Social Mobility Award.

Existing categories which are returning for 2021 are: SME Business of the Year, Employer of the Year, New Business of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, and Family Business of the Year.

To nominate your choice, visit our website at thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/business/business_awards/nominate, where you can read about each category, the criteria and what our judges are seeking for each individual award.

We reserve the right to move entrants to different categories if we think they better meet the criteria for other awards.

The deadline for entries is Wednesday, June 30, and our judges will then assess all nominations in order to draw up a three-strong shortlist for each award.

Each finalist will be invited to attend the glittering awards ceremony where they will find out if they are to take home one of our coveted awards. In addition a Winner of Winners Award will be decided on the night.

The ceremony itself will take place in the grandeur of the Bradford Hotel, and the red carpet will be rolled out for the black tie evening with a drinks reception, meal and entertainment all in the heart of Bradford city centre.

Steve Lowe, sales director at LOCALiQ, said: “Welcome to the launch of the 2021 Bradford Means Business Awards. The last time we held the awards was on a lovely summer’s evening in City Park in 2019, so we are all glad to be back both to celebrate the best in Bradford business and to look forward as we all pull together to get the local economy back on track.

“Whilst the last 12 months have been a challenge, the awards aim to dig out those that have managed to survive and maybe even thrive over the past year, or diversified to deliver growth.

“Bradford Means Business connects businesses together through both these awards, our quarterly b2b magazine and through the website and we are really excited to be bringing the district’s awards back this autumn at our gala evening that will be a great opportunity to network once again, say thank you to colleagues and clients by bringing them along to enjoy the awards evening and post-awards party.

“We are working on a few surprises for the night too, so for now get your entries in, get your tickets for the night as numbers are limited and look out for further updates as we get closer to announcing those shortlisted.

“Finally, a big thank-you to the sponsors, to Bradford Council for supporting the awards and good luck to all the entries.”

Full details of all the award categories are available here:

SME Business of the Year sponsored by BHP

Employer of the Year sponsored by Solenis

New Business of the Year sponsored by Bradford BID

Sustainability Award sponsored by Excelledia

Social Mobility Award sponsored by Exa Networks

Apprentice of the Year sponsored by Bradford College

Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year sponsored by Christeyns

Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by Thorite

Family Business of the Year sponsored by Packetts

Tech Company of the Year sponsored by University of Bradford

Winner of Winners sponsored by The Broadway