Both country and county were on tenterhooks on 4th July – the country for the election result, and the county for the outcome of the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards 2024!
And what an outcome it was. Proud winners in 23 different categories, and a night to remember - not just for its drinks reception, fine dining, and high-end entertainment, but for its turnout (the highest yet) and its serious networking opportunities.
And the overall winner was…
Amongst the many hundreds of entries received, the overall winner was iCandy, a Bedfordshire business specialising in the design and manufacture of innovative pushchairs and prams.
The company was also the Gold Winner of the Ryan Business Innovation category, and Silver Winner of Central Bedfordshire Business of the Year.
Vice CEO Cameron Appel said of the awards: “The experience was truly exceptional, and it was inspiring to be surrounded by so many innovative and dedicated businesses. Being recognised as one of Bedfordshire's best businesses in 2024 motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and delivering excellence in everything we do."
Category Gold Winners – the full list
But over 20 other businesses and individuals shone on the night, too, as Gold Winners and Silver Winners, across many categories.
This shows just how Bedfordshire, for a small county, punches above its weight in business excellence.
Take a look at the table below – you might come across a potential new customer, partner, or supplier.
Gold Winner |
Win category |
Liebherr Apprentice Employer of the Year |
|
Bedford Borough Council Bedford Business of the Year |
|
Wenta Best Enterprising Business |
|
Wrest Park Enterprise Best New Business |
|
Treacle Factory Business of the Year less than 50 Employees |
|
AEGIS Business of the Year more than 50 Employees |
|
Michelle Cook - Reactiv8 The Nation |
Foxley Kingham Chartered Accountants Business Person of the Year |
Talk UK Telecom Community Business of the Year |
|
Jaltek Employer of the Year |
|
Will Brown - Will Brown Hair & Open Chair |
Unisnacks Entrepreneur of the Year |
Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce Exporter of the Year |
|
Family Business of the Year |
|
London Luton Airport High Growth Business of the Year |
|
Influencer of the Year |
|
Luton Business of the Year |
|
AEGIS Not-for-Profit Business of the Year |
|
Jaltek Positive Impact Award |
|
Unisnacks Retail Business of the Year |
|
RSP UK Service Excellence |
|
Wenta Action Zero Sustainability Award |
|
Darius Moghtadaii – THSP |
Barnfield College Young Business Person of the Year |
The Silver Winners can also be seen here.
Heartfelt thanks all round
Of course, whilst the awards are (rightly) all about the winners, we’re immensely grateful to the sponsors whose support made the entire awards programme and ceremony possible.
These include Headline Sponsor Unisnacks, Platinum Sponsors Aegis Support Services, Jaltek, and Wenta, Gold Sponsors Barnfield College, Bartham Group, Bedford Borough Council, Foxley Kingham, Liebherr GB, London Luton Airport, RSP UK, Ryan, Talk UK Telecom, and Wrest Park Enterprise, plus Media Sponsor MK Pulse/Business Times, and Print Sponsor Treacle Factory.
When’s your time to shine?
With these awards, we wanted to give local businesses a chance to shine, and they’ve achieved exactly that – with public acclaim and media coverage aplenty.
So, will you be entering next year?
For more information, visit www.bedfordshireawards.co.uk or call our awards team on 01908 542720