Finalists announced for prestigious North West Family Business Awards

The finalists for this year’s 2022 North West Family Business Awards have been revealed, with a record number of 186 businesses entering the awards from across the region.

The North West Family Business Awards champion family businesses across the North West, recognising their achievements and celebrating their successes.

Acknowledging the huge contribution that family businesses make to the UK economy, the Family Business Awards are organised by “The Family Business Community”, co-Founded by Sue Howorth and Dave Clarkson, and provide an opportunity for family firms to share and celebrate their success stories.

Family businesses play a substantial role in the UK economy and in 2019, family-owned businesses contributed over £637 billion to UK GDP. They are a key source of employment and family firms made up the majority of private sector business in the UK (5.2 million businesses) during 2019.**

This year’s entries from across the region were judged by 21 business leaders from a multitude of diverse sectors across the North West, who came together in Manchester to review and shortlist the entries for the awards, which were open to businesses in Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria, as well as Merseyside.

Alison and Mike Reuben of Bluebell Fitted Furniture in Sale, Greater Manchester were two of the 21 business directors who formed the judging panel. They will be celebrating their 30th year of trading later this year and were thrilled to be taking part. Says Alison, “Winning Retailer of the Year in 2020 was a real highlight for us as a family business, so to be asked to join this year’s judging panel is a huge honour. We will be judging ‘Emerging Family Business’, ‘Retailer of the Year’ and ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ categories and feel that our own personal experience will help find a thoroughly deserving winner in each category. We’ll be looking for businesses who have a great product, processes, ethos and team culture.

She adds: “Communication is key when you’re running a business, so we can’t wait to find out more about each entrant and how their vision and mission statements translate to the realities of running a successful family business.”

Co-Founder and-Director of The Family Business Community, Sue Howorth said: “ We were inundated with some incredible award entries and have been burning the midnight oil to get through them as they came in right up to the wire. The judges had some very difficult decisions to make, so the finalists should be extremely proud of themselves for making the shortlist.

“There is no doubt that it has been a difficult couple of years for many businesses, so to read about how many are now thriving has been humbling and just goes to show how amazing the North West’s family businesses are.”

Jacqui Jackson from Thomas Jardine & Co and 2022 North West Awards Chair of Judges said: “The number and quality of applications from across the North West has been outstanding, the businesses are clearly proud to be family businesses and the detail in many of the entries has demonstrated that they are very progressive and innovative.”

The categories include: Best Social Impact, Business Services, Construction and Engineering, Agribusiness, Emerging Family Business, Food and Drink and Producers, Haulage and Logistics, Leisure and Tourism, Manufacturing, Retail, Wholesalers. There is also the Employee of the Year and People’s Choice Awards where the public will be able to vote for their favourite business from March 18th until April 29th, via the North West Family Business Award website.”

The finalists will now receive a visit from members of the judging panel before the final decision is made, with the winners announced at the glittering ceremony on Friday 13th May in Liverpool. This first-class event will be held at The Rum Warehouse, Titanic Hotel, Liverpool with host, food writer, and presenter Nigel Barden.

The North West Family Business Awards are organised by the Family Business Community and provide a fantastic opportunity for us to celebrate with family businesses from across the North West. For more information please visit www.northwestfamilybusinessawards.co.uk, with information on the ceremony found at https://www.northwestfamilybusinessawards.co.uk/the-awards-ceremony/

For press enquiries please contact Deborah Todd or Lyndsey Evans at Collaborative Folks on 07919361 337 or 07388322410

Notes to Editors

The 18 categories and some of the shortlisted finalists for 2022 The North West Family Business Awards are as follows:

Agribusiness

Smithills Open Farm – Greater Manchester https://www.smithillsopenfarm.co.uk/

Enviro systems UK Ltd – Preston https://envirosystems.co.uk/

Piper Hole Goat Farm – Cumbria https://www.piperholegoatfarm.co.uk

Best Social Impact – ESG & Grass Roots

ESG:

Herdy – Lake District https://www.herdy.co.uk

Story Decorating Group Ltd- Carlisle / Salford https://www.storydecoratinggroup.com/contact-us/

Mission CX – Whitehaven https://www.missioncx.co.uk