2016 Sevenoaks Business Awards!

[This blog was first written in September 2016] 

Very excitingly last night, I attended the Sevenoaks Business Awards ceremony, as I was nominated in two categories!

The Awards celebrate the amazing businesses in my local area, so it was a great privilege to be able to be a part of it all.

It was a big black tie event, and I didn’t take my proper camera, but here are a few (apologies, they’re not great!) photos from my phone…

The compere for the evening was the lovely Paul Andrews of Kent Business Radio (above).

Our MP Sir Michael Fallon (below) spoke briefly about how well businesses in Sevenoaks are doing – 600 new businesses have been started in the area in the last 6 years, and we currently have the lowest unemployment level we’ve ever had – and congratulated everyone on their nominations.

Then guest speaker Alfie Best, owner of Wyldecrest Parks, spoke about his many successful businesses, and how lucky we are that Sevenoaks Council supports local businesses.

Finally onto the awards themselves! 

First up was the Independent Retailer of the Year – 3rd place: Especially Health, 2nd place: Sevenoaks Bookshop, 1st place: The Chinaman.

Winners of the National Retailer of the Year were 3rd place: Bang & Olufsen, 2nd place: A Plan Insurance, 3rd place: Neal’s Yard Remedies.

Apprentices of the Year were Ciera Freeman in 3rd place, Jack Sutton and Steffan Colnet in 2nd, and Peter Roper in 3rd.

Then it was on to my first category, New Business (under 5 years), for which there were ten nominations including me.  Congratulations to the winners – 3rd place: Eat The Farm, 2nd place: Eat’n’Mess, and 1st place: Better Body Group.

Customer Choice winners were voted for over the last few weeks – 3rd place: Donnington Manor Hotel, 2nd place: Treeability, 1st place: Lakeview Accountants.

Then my second nomination, Home Enterprise, and I shared 3rd place with Ashlyn Massage & Yoga!  2nd place: The Second Wardrobe, and 1st place: Sevenoaks Bootcamp.

The last award was for the Judge’s Choice, with just one award going to the Sevenoaks and District Chamber of Commerce.

The Mayor of Sevenoaks, Andrew Eyre, presented all the awards, which was lovely; he’s a supporter of the new Sunday Farmer’s Market in Sevenoaks that I’ve been attending this summer, and has even been a customer of mine!

Many congratulations to all the nominees and winners, and thanks to the Sevenoaks Town Partnership for organising, and to the chef and students at Knole Academy for the lovely food!

Someone pointed out to me that I can now call myself an award winning photographer, how exciting is that?!!

With thanks to my husband for the photo of me with the mayor, and to my lovely neighbour at dinner, Carrie (from Athena Wealth Management, sponsors of the Independent Retailers of the Year category) for the photo of me receiving my certificate.

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[This blog was first written in September 2016, then transferred to this website, February 2024]