More than 100 businesses submitted applications and the shortlist includes a mix of bright, new, growing and established businesses from across the city region. Jennie Lewis reports.

Finalists for this year’s Liverpool and Sefton Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards have been announced after a record year in numbers of nominations received.

More than 100 businesses submitted applications and the shortlist includes a mix of bright, new, growing and established businesses from across the city region.

VIDEO: click to hear more from some of those shortlisted

Winners will be announced at the chamber’s Annual Dinner on Thursday, December 1, which is this year being held at the new stand at Anfield, home to Liverpool Football Club.

Offering recognition

The awards, sponsored by SP Energy Networks and Liverpool John Lennon Airport, are now in their second year and are designed to recognise the achievements and ambitions of some of the city’s leading and most promising new businesses.

In a new move for 2016, the Aspire Award has been split into two sub categories – Graduate and Apprentice; while the Strive Award now include three tiers – micro business, small-medium business and medium-large business.

Events and business support manager, Anelise Siddle said: “We took the decision to break down the Aspire and Strive category initially due to sheer volume of entries – but actually, doing so has made for a much fairer judging process and means that nominees will be pitted against other businesses of a similar size and scale.

“What’s more, it means that we can celebrate the achievements of more businesses from the chamber network, which we’re really pleased about.”

Shortlist

Businesses who entered the awards were asked to complete an initial application that included a series of questions tailored to their area.

Chamber experts were tasked with developing a shortlist from the total entries received and those candidates will be invited to take part in second-phase interviews with awards sponsors.

‘Astounding calibre’

Chief executive of Liverpool and Sefton Chamber of Commerce, Jenny Stewart, will also take part in interviews and said: “The calibre of nominees this year is astounding. It will be no easy task to elect winners.

“We took the decision to include the awards in 2015 because we felt that we needed to do more to support and promote the many wonderful businesses we work with at The Chamber and ensure their stories are heard.

“I’m proud every day of the many successes of our members and it was important to me personally that we go some way to rewarding their growth and development.

“Our annual dinner is one of the best attended events in the city and we have the support of some of the region’s leading businesses – so just being involved in the awards is a huge opportunity in itself, simply to promote your business to a quality audience.”

The Liverpool and Sefton Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner takes place on Thursday,  December 1. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here.

The full shortlist of nominees for this year’s awards includes:

Ignite award: This award, sponsored by NatWest, aims to celebrate the successes of entrepreneurs from The Chambers’ Spark Up programme.

• Franklin Energy
• Pall Mall Physio
• Clearlink HR
• McIver Scott Recruitment

Reach Award: This award, sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport, aims to celebrate businesses that have developed a successful export strategy and are demonstrably reaching new markets.

• DanTech
• Clarke Energy
• Tithebarn

Strive Award: This award seeks to recognise those organisations that have demonstrated growth through increased sales, profit, market share, jobs or international trade; or have solid and attainable plans for future growth.

Micro business:

• Meet & Potato
• Verb Marketing
• The Venue

Small-medium business:

• Standard Fuel Oils
• Kingsley Associates
• T Sumner Smith
• Bexleys
• Butterworth Spengler

Medium-large business:

• Mitchell Charlesworth
• Medicash
• Grant Thornton
• Kier
• Morecrofts
• M&Y Construction

Aspire Award: This award aims to mark the significant contribution that a person aged 25 or under has made to the success of an organisation.

Graduate:

• CNC Robotics
• Pall Mall Medical
• Credit Management Group

Apprentice:

• Document Direct
• CMA CGM Shipping
• Base Communications