The Rising Stars Business Excellence Awards

Rising Stars Award Winners from 2011
Be a Winner in Business!

Welcome to the Annual Bedfordshire & Luton Rising Stars Business Excellence Awards 2012, brought to you by Premier Newspapers in association with Barclays. This is the chance to enter your company, organisation or even a member of staff for a prestigious award.

The Rising Stars Award Winners 2012

Food-based companies scooped the top awards at a celebration of the best of Bedfordshire’s businesses.

Biogen, in Milton Ernest, which turns food waste into energy and fertiliser was awarded the top Barclays Choice accolade at the Bedfordshire and Luton Rising Stars Awards held at Bedford Corn Exchange.

And Bedfordshire’s ‘cereal’ entrepreneur Bill Jordan picked up a lifetime achievement award for his services to the county over the years.

Click here to watch a video, and read a full report from the Awards ceremony
Click here to a Photo Gallery / Slideshow

The Finalists

  1. New Business of the Year sponsored by Keens Shay Keens: ATP World | Crannull Consulting | Fairies n Frogs | Seera Hair and Beauty | The Play Doctors | Zest Solutions
  2. Enteprising Organisation of the Year (profit & non-profit) sponsored by Keens Shay Keens: ATP World | Bedfordshire Business Women (BBW) | G Whizz Media | Luton Bury-Park Business Community (LBBC) | Recruiter Hub | The Play Doctors
  3. Training & Development sponsored by The University of Bedfordshire: Hayward Tyler | Osborne Morris & Morgan | The Play Doctors | Toybox Day Nursery
  4. Customer Service sponsored by Bedford Bid: Ark House Vets | Fairies n Frogs | Self Service Dog Wash | The Embankment | Thomas Cox & Co | Wyboston Lakes
  5. Community Investment sponsored by Nisa Local: Bedfordshire Business Women (BBW)| Lionheart Security | Mohammed Nadeem (LBBC) | The Play Doctors
  6. Unsung Employee sponsored by Barclays: Gina Bubbins ~ Bedford College | Sophie Stock ~ The Embankment | Renata Bernotiene ~ The White Horse
  7. Business of the year under 50 employees sponsored by Mayfair Online Insurance: ATP World | Bedford College Services Ltd | Crannull Consulting | Espere Healthcare | Harmony Internet | Seera Hair & Beauty
  8. Business of the Year over 50 mployees sponsored by SA Law: Biogen (p/o Bedfordia group) | Costa (p/o Whitbread group) | Hayward Tyler

The Host

Patrick Monahan

Celebrity Host

Funny and adorable Irish/Iranian/Teessider comedian Patrick Monahan knows how to work a room and engage an audience with a strongly skilled blend of ad lib banter and stand up.

Patrick has worked his way up the comedy circuit ladder and is now a regular MC and headlining act at the top London and UK comedy clubs. He has performed at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival for a number of years at the Gilded Balloon. Patrick has spent the last 2 years developing his theatre touring shows and in the past year he has toured the UK as well as performed a run at the Adelaide Comedy Festival (2011) with his family show and also an evening stand up show.

Due to his extremely clean and highly accessible material Patrick has developed a solid footing on the Corporate Circuit as an After Dinner speaker as well as a Awards Host. Patrick’s TV appearances over the years have included The Comedy Store (Paramount Comedy Chan- nel), That’s So Last Week (Zig/Zag/Five), Mervyn Bragg’s Travels In Written Britain (ITV), Comedy Dec- ades, (BBC), Comedy map Of Britain (BBC), Playing Away (Tyne Tees/ITV Presenter of Travel Series), Most Annoying...(various), (BBC), Sorcerer’s Apprentice (CBBC), Mega Melai (BBC2).

Patrick has a wealth of TV studio warm up experience which covers both live and pre-recorded pro- ductions. As resident studio warm up Artiste for a number of seasons on ‘The Paul O’Grady Show’ (C4) Patrick also appeared on numerous occasions in front of the camera hosting mock quizes, modelling false bums and finally as a guest on the sofa!

Presentation Ceremony

Ceremony 2011
7pm-1am, Thursday 8th November at the Bedford Corn Exchange
Tickets £75+Vat each (10% discount for Tables of 10s )

(£10 from every ticket sale goes to East Anglia Air Ambulance)

The evening includes:

  • A champagne reception, three-course meal with wine, entertainment by this year’s celebrity host, awards presentation, free charity raffle and disco.

Tickets

tickets
To book online visit: http://shop.bedfordtoday.co.uk

A PDF ticket form will be coming soon.

Please print off the form and send to:

Gillian Politis
Rising Stars Business Excellence Awards
Events and Exhibitions Team
Newspaper House, Ise Park
Rothwell Road, Kettering
Northants NN16 8GA

Categories and Entry Forms

Select an awards category from the dropdown menu below, to view the criteria that the judges will be looking for, and also download the entry form for that category


1. New Business of the Year - sponsored by KSK

This award is open to companies that have been trading for less than two years (Established October 2010) and which has made a successful entry into the business community.

2. Training and Development Award - sponsored by University of Bedfordshire

An organisation that has made a significant investment in the development of their people. Including induction for new employees, on-going development and incentives.

3. Environmental Award - sponsored by...

This award is open to all businesses and organisations, regardless of size or activity, which have shown outstanding concern for the environment and can demonstrate a business commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

4. Community Investment Award - sponsored by Nisa Local

A proud Bedfordhsire based company planning continued growth within the community. A company that can demonstrate successes within the community including financial investment, fundraising activities and steps taken to ensure the employee base reflects the local community (minority groups)

5. Unsung Employee of the year award - sponsored by...

This award is open to individuals of any age and time spent in their role. The winner will stand out in their performance, demonstrate drive and initiative and make a positive contribution to the success of the organisation they represent.

6. Apprentice Business of the Year - sponsored by...

An organisation that offers apprenticeship schemes and can present details of these schemes and their successes including support in the work-place, training courses and full time positions offered after the training period and qualifications achieved.

7. Enterprising Organisation of the Year - sponsored by KSK

Open to profit and non-profit organisations.

An organisation or group which embraces an ‘enterprising culture’ and can provide results of successes due to the positive attitude towards ‘enterprise’ including partnerships formed to transform your locality through enterprise, impact on local demographics (eg: young people, SMEs, over 50s)

8. Customer Service Award - sponsored by Bedord BID

The winner will be able to demonstrate how the business has bene? ted from a commitment to customer care through the tracking of customer satisfaction levels and by how staff are trained and motivated to meet customer needs

9. Business of the Year under 50 employees - sponsored by Mayfair

Open to all companies employing fewer than 50 people. The winner will be able to show a clear understanding of the markets in which it operates and have a structured business plan, evidence of goals set and achieved, a dedication to customer satisfaction and a commitment to staff training and development and other aspects of other award criterias

10. Business of the Year over 50 employees - sponsored by SA Law

Open to all companies employing more than 50 people. As like for under 50 employees, the winner will be able to show a clear understanding of the markets in which it operates and have a structured business plan, evidence of goals set and achieved, a dedication to customer satisfaction and a commitment to staff training and development and other aspects of other award criterias


You can then either fill in and attach the completed form and additional supporting documents to premier.events@jpress.co.uk or you can send it via post to: Gillian Politis, Rising Stars Business Excellence Awards, Events and Exhibitions Team, Newspaper House, Ise Park, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Northants, NN16 8GA.

If you have any questions contact the Premier Events Team on 01536 356902/506134 or email: premier.events@jpress.co.uk for details

Entry Guidelines

(1) The awards are open to organisations that are based in Bedfordshire and Luton, and to individuals who live or work in the county. There are no limits to organisation size or business sector.
(2) Applications are preferred by email to save paper, however some categories may need extra evidence which needs to be supplied in hard copy. Please send to Gillian Politis, Rising Stars Business Excellence Awards, Events and Exhibitions Team, Newspaper House, Ise Park, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Northants, NN16 8GA. If you have any questions please call 01536 356902/506134 or email: premier.events@jpress.co.uk Closing date is 5th Oct 2012
(3) No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are lost, delayed or damaged in transit.
(4) Organisations are not allowed to enter categories that they are supporting through sponsorship.
(5) Award entries for individuals must be nominated and should only be entered on behalf of the nominee.
(6) A panel appointed by the organisers will judge entries: the decision of the panel is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The judges reserve the right to suggest more appropriate or additional award categories for entries. They may also seek third party substantiation for any claim made in an entry.
(7) Shortlisted entries will be notified after the initial judging and will be invited to attend the awards evening at the Awards Dinner at the Bedford Corn Echange on Thursday 8th November 2012. There are no cash alternatives for the prizes available. Tickets are £75 for a fabulous gala evening, this includes welcome drink on arrival, 3 course dinner with wine, an after dinner speaker and disco. Dress is black tie. Carriages at 1am.
(8) Information contained in the award entries may be used as part of the promotional campaign for the awards.
(9) Johnston Press plc, are constantly running great offers. By giving us your email address and phone numbers, you agree that we may contact you by these methods for marketing. If you are not interested in receiving details of them by email, post, phone, SMS/MMS or fax from Johnston Press and/or our business partners please also let us know in your correspondence.

Sponsors

Thanks to all our sponsors who help make the Education Awards a great event.

Click on the logos below to visit sponsor websites.

Mayfairs Keens Shay Keens Barclays Bank Mayfairs Nisa local University of Bedfordshire East Anglian Air Ambulance SA Law Ramada Encore Bedford BID

Charity

Articles

East Anglian Air Ambulance

The charity was established in 2000 and in the early days operated in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk functioning with one helicopter - Anglia One.

EAAA helicopterIn 2007 we extended our service to operate a second helicopter, Anglia Two, which serves Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Anglia One now focuses on covering Norfolk and Suffolk. The EAAA works with a range of organisations in operating its service including the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and other clinical charities.

The EAAA is especially needed here in East Anglia as the region covers a vast area, much of it rural. With more than 5,000 sq miles, or 11% of the total area of England, it contains some of its most isolated terrain making it sometimes difficult for land ambulances to reach the scene of accidents and emergencies quickly.

Anglia One and Anglia Two are subjected to different pressures: Norfolk and Suffolk are more rural and in the summer months with the influx of tourists the population increases by 2-3 million placing enormous pressure on our roads and infrastructure. While in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough there is generally more ‘business’ traffic. However, as weith everywhere else, our roads in East Anglia are becoming increasingly congested, leading to ever more road traffic collisions - which already make up the major single cause of the incidents we attend.

Find out more on our website: http://www.eaaa.org.uk

Rising Stars Awards 2011

Guest speaker Ray Stubbs

Business people from across the county put on their gladrags for one of the top local business events of 2011 at a glittering ceremony at Bedford’s Park Inn Hotel.

Click here to read a full report from the Awards evening 2011