Chamber business heroes’ awards finalists revealed

The category finalists in the Black Country Chamber Business Heroes Awards were announced yesterday [Thursday 15 October] in a colourful digital event that also marked the close of the third Black Country Business Festival – an initiative that is also led by the Chamber of Commerce.

Jude Thompson, president of the Black Country Chamber revealed the finalists, who will now go forward to the finals event on Friday 13 November. This will be an exciting, high-energy digital event that will be live-streamed to the world.

Jude said, “I would like to thank everyone that has entered the Black Country Chamber Business Heroes Awards. We have genuinely been overwhelmed by the ingenuity, determination and resilience of the local business community in meeting the challenges of 2020.

“We have received an exceptional number of extremely high-quality entries in every category and the judges have found the shortlisting process extremely difficult. I would like to offer very many congratulations to all the finalists.”

The Awards are headline partnered by the University of Wolverhampton which has contributed and judged three of the 12 categories. The category finalists are:

Large Business Hero of the Year – sponsored by MHA MacIntyre Hudson

• Compton Care

• HomeServe NHS and Frontline Free Service

• National Express West Midlands

• Robinson Brothers Limited

• SIPS Education

• Supporting Communities

• Wintech Group

Small Business Hero of the Year – sponsored by Nant Water Safety Specialists

• Clover HR

• Cox & Plant

• Deans Management Services

• Fit Mommas Ltd

• Lord Combustion Services Limited

• Lotus Sanctuary CIC

• Penny Post Credit Union

• Switch Midlands

Family Business Hero of the Year – sponsored by CK Chartered Accountants

• Dancers

• Incomm

• Lawrence Cleaning Ltd

• Lord Combustion Services Limited

• Robinson Brothers Limited

International Trade Hero of the Year

• Foundry Machinery & Spares Limited

• Intralox

• Keltruck Limited

Start-up Business Hero of the Year – sponsored by Forresters Patent and Trademark Attorneys

• ADL Bespoke Security Systems Limited

• Isabellas Homes

• SBF Consultancy

• TP Squared

Retail Resilience Hero of the Year – in association with our venue partner, the Black Country Living Museum

• Compton Care

• HugglePets Retail Store

• Midcounties Co-operative

Business Hero / Young Business Hero of the Year – sponsored by machinery specialists, FMS

• John Donovan, JJX Logistics

• Adrian Hanrahan, Robinson Brothers

• Bradley Moore, Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation

Outstanding Collaboration & Partnership – sponsored by Walsall College

• Compton Care and NHS Royal Wolverhampton Trust

• Health and Housing Working Together

Outstanding Key Worker of the Year

• Darren Cook

• Navjitpal Kaur

Adaptability & Innovation – University of Wolverhampton

• Acorns Covid-19 Emergency Response Plan

• Coinadrink Limited

• Midlands Air Ambulance Charity - Rapid Response to the Pandemic

• Saz's Ceramics & Crafts

• SIPS Education

• Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation

Kindness in the Community – University of Wolverhampton

• Beacon Centre for the Blind

• Compton Care

• HugglePets in the Community

• Midcounties Co-operative

• One 4 You Services

• Steps to Work

Exceptional Employee or Team – University of Wolverhampton

• Amy Whitter, Fit Mommas Ltd

• Blackthorns

• IPU Group - Fuel Cleaning Team

• Lord Combustion Services Limited

• Nant Ltd

• Sarbjit Singh, Wolverhampton bus driver, National Express West Midlands

The finals event takes place from 3.45-5pm on 13 November and tickets are now available.

There are two tiers: a paid ticket at £30, which includes a unique drinks and nibbles gift package that is directly home or office delivered. This ticket also includes an automatic donation to Black Country Chamber President’s Charities; Teenage Cancer Trust and Parkinson’s UK.

Alternatively, the event can also be viewed on the free ticket. Registration is still required.