Business awards winners revealed
FOR the first time in the eight-year history of Rossendale Business Awards a company and a businesswoman have been jointly awarded the top trophy.
Judges were so impressed by the quality of the entries from Melbec Microbiology Ltd and Alison Driver that engraver Alexis Valentine, from Walking on Glass, was challenged to create two special Valley at Work trophies.
The awards were due to be held at The Riverside, in Whitworth, on Wednesday night as we went to press.
Haslingden-based Melbec was founded by Dawn Mellors who had worked in the microbiology and personal care industries for 27 years before setting up the business in 2013.
In the last year Melbec doubled its workforce to 10, saw turnover increase by 37 per cent and significantly increased its client base.
Judges found that the ‘family’ atmosphere at Melbec offers flexibility for staff to ensure the work-life balance is right and at the awards it was named as Business of the Year and highly commended in the Employer of the Year category.
Alison founded Metis HR in 2011 after she was made redundant and has been helping businesses ever since.
As well as being an accomplished businesswoman, she mentors businesses, is heavily involved with the Soroptimist movement and is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Valley Supported Living.
Her business has doubled its turnover in the last two years and she has taken on a PA.
The Rossendale Free Press Award, which recognises the support businesses offer to their community, was picked up by Whitworth business Anglo Recycling.
AWARDS RESULTS
Valley at Work Award: Melbec Microbiology Ltd and Alison Driver (joint winners); Apprenticeship: Run Amok Play & Party Centre; Artisan Business: Alan Rhodes Dry Stone Walling; Business of the Year: Melbec Microbiology Ltd (winner), Spectrum One (highly commended); Creative Business: Kidult and Co; Community Business: Rossendale Rubicon; Customer Friendly Business: Musbury Fabrics (winner), Ayesha Communications and Connect Health and Wellbeing (highly commended); Employer of the Year: Anglo Recycling; Enterprising Woman: Gill Smith; Enterprising Young Person: Wonderful Things Youth Volunteer Team; Independent Retailer: Ruby and Daisy (winner), Dawn Rose Contemporary Jewellery & Accessories, Kidult and Co and Stanley Jacks Ltd (highly commended); MicroBusiness: Creation Signs Limited; New Business: Hop Micro Pub; Part time Business: Keeley Clean, Pride of Our Valley: Bacup Royal Court Theatre Group; Rossendale Free Press award: Anglo Recycling (winner), Beta Group Ltd (highly commended); Service Business: Ayesha Communications; Sole Trader: Daley Wilson Photography (winner), Catherine Smyth Media (highly commended); Tourism Business: The Whitaker (winner), Rossendale Leisure Trust (highly commended).