Business Awards results

The cream of Berkshire business had the opportunity of celebrating in grand style at a gala awards ceremony at Ascot Racecourse attended by 300 finalists, sponsors and guests last night.

It was the high spot of The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Community and Business Excellence Awards competition which attracted a range of entries from businesses and community organisations.

Maidenhead and District Chamber President Kuldeep Ahir praised the event for giving businesses in the area an opportunity to showcase their work and expects it will encourage a rash of start-ups in the New Year.

Golfbreaks.com promised to 'paint the town red' after winning the main Company of the Year award.  Chief executive Andrew Stanley who runs the business at Windsor Dials said: “We are ecstatic to be winners and to receive the trophy. It was fantastic.”

Council leader Cllr David Burbage, who runs a software and internet business in Maidenhead said: "I have been very pleased with the reception we have had from the nominees and the winners. It’s gone very well.

We have been hugely impressed at the calibre of entrants to the Awards – year on year the bar is raised and this year the standard of applications has been truly outstanding.  All in their way are beacons of excellence and achievement in their fields."

The winners were:

Company of the Year - Golfbreaks.com.  
The award was sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland and presented by Roger Fenwick.
Finalists were:
Wanderlust Publications Limited
The Handmade Cake Company
Copas Traditional Turkeys

Employer of the Year -  Abbott UK  
The award was sponsored by Ascot Racecourse and presented by Charles Barnett, Chief Executive of Ascot.  
Finalists were:
Proactive Recruitment Consultants Limited
Leapfrog Research and Planning Limited

Marketing Innovation of the Year - Now Group UK Limited.
 The award was sponsored by The Chartered Institute of Marketing and presented by Katherine Tickle, Managing Director of CIM Holdings

Finalists were:
Purple Pilchard
TC Communications
Thames Valley University
Ascot Racecourse

Service Excellence Award -  Francesco’s Restaurant, Maidenhead.
 The award was sponsored by The Express Series & Windsor Housing and jointly presented by Peter Coleman, Chairman, Windsor Housing and Sally Stevens, Editor-in-Chief, Berkshire Media Group.
Finalists were:
Cocoa Bean
Cook
Tealightful
Royal Windsor Information Service
McClauskeys Café
Artisitca

Best Use of Technology - System Associates
Sponsored by First Group the category and presented by Chris Dexter, First Group Transportation
Finalists were:
RecruitmentRevolution.com
Handheld PCs Ltd
Now Group UK Ltd
Depeche Mode Laboratories Ltd

Corporate Social Responsibility Award - Computer Associates
Sponsored by Waitrose, the award was presented by Nick Monger-Godfrey, Head of CSR, Waitrose
Finalists were:
Centrica
Costain Group
Holiday Inn Maidenhead/Windsor

Charity of the Year  - East Berkshire Women’s Aid
 Sponsored by Maidenhead Advertiser the award was presented by
Martin Trepte, Editor,  Maidenhead Advertiser
Finalists:
Lions Club of Maidenhead
WAMDSAD
Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group
Family Friends
Bridge Trust Thames Valley

Commitment to Training, Skills and Development Award - BMS Solutions Limited
Sponsored by The RBWM Learning Partnership, the award was presented by David Demolder, Former Chairman, The RBWM Learning Partnership
Finalists were:
CfBT Education Trust (Next Step Berkshire)
Heathrow/Windsor Marriott Hotel
SDL
Leapfrog Research & Planning Ltd

Contribution to the Community - Maidenhead Community Responders
Sponsored by Holiday Inn Maidenhead/Windsor and presented by Simon Hall, General Manager, Holiday Inn Maidenhead/Windsor
Finalists were :
Housing Solutions Group
Family Friends
The Tick Tock Project

Small Business of the Year - Atkinson and Keene
Sponsored by Business Link Berkshire and SEEDA the award was presented by Ronnie Epstein, Director, Business Link Berkshire
Finalists were:
AAC Systems Ltd
Wanderlust Publications Ltd
Copas Traditional Turkeys

Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community - Annabel Turpin, Norden Farm Arts
Sponsored by The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and presented by
 by Cllr David Burbage, Leader, RBWM

See next week's Advertiser for a two page spread of photographs and more from the event.