FOSTERS BAKERY RISE TO THE TOP

The achievements of the top companies in Barnsley have been celebrated at the town’s Business Awards ceremony, with Fosters Bakery winning the Best Overall Barnsley Business prize (sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland).

Fosters received the award in front of a full house of over 300 guests at Brooklands Hotel, as compére Clare Frisby revealed the successful businesses.

The triumphant companies in the other award categories were Absolute Fire & Security, Ardsley House Hotel, Billington Structures, Brooklands Hotel, Flexseal, HJC Design, Kiveton Park & Wales Village Hall, Pilkington AG, Stagecoach Yorkshire and Elizabeth Walker from the House of Beauty.

Michael Taylor, Operations Director at Fosters Bakery, said: “Receiving such a prestigious award makes us feel like Barnsley’s favourite baker and fulfils our company vision.

“When you’re a company the size of Fosters Bakery, you’re never going to survive just making sliced white bread; that’s not what we’re about. Fosters Bakery is a niche operator massively into innovation.

“To win the Best Overall Barnsley Business award and be highly commended in the Diverse Workplace Award is recognition of the fantastic contribution our people at Fosters Bakery have made, not only in our company, but also towards promoting Barnsley in our region and beyond.

“Successful businesses need good people and we have got a great multi-skilled workforce, from all walks of life and all over the world.”

As a 'Salute To Business', the Barnsley Chronicle received a glass rose bowl to mark the newspaper’s 150th anniversary, while the Chamber and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council were presented with a glass award by Brooklands Hotel to commemorate the landmark of 125 years of the Chamber in Barnsley, which was reached in 2007.

The comprehensive results run-down is as follows:

Business Growth Award (sponsored by The Barnsley Chronicle Ltd)

Winner: Billington Structures

Highly Commended: Haigh Pettican Ltd, Lavender Int NDT Consultancy, Stagecoach Yorkshire

Business Start Up Award (sponsored by Business Link Yorkshire)

Winner: Absolute Fire & Security
Highly Commended: Integral Network Solutions, Numero, Sushisushi.co.uk, Travel Empire

Diverse Workplace Award (sponsored by Barnsley Work & Skills Board)
Winner: Stagecoach Yorkshire
Highly Commended: Brooklands Hotel, Fosters Bakery

Education Links Award (sponsored by Business & Education South Yorkshire)
Winner: Ardsley House Hotel
Highly Commended: Brooklands Hotel, The Take 2 Centre

Skills Award (sponsored by Barnsley Work & Skills Board)
Winner: Brooklands Hotel
Highly Commended: Doyle Consultants, Windowstyle UK

Environment Award (sponsored by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council)
Winner: Kiveton Park & Wales Village Hall
Highly Commended: DTS Environmental Ltd, Pentagon Toyota, Tarmac Ltd

Business Woman of the Year Award (sponsored by HSBC)

Winner: Elizabeth Walker (House of Beauty)
Highly Commended: Sarah Brabbin (Glo), Cassandra Brown (MED_EL UK Ltd)

Inward Investment Award (sponsored by Barnsley Development Agency)

Winner: Flexseal
Highly Commended: Dantone Precision Engineering Ltd, MED-EL UK Ltd

Healthy Workplace Award (supported by NHS Barnsley)
Winner: Pilkington AG
Highly Commended: Barnsley Premier Leisure

Innovation Award (sponsored by South Yorkshire Investment Fund)
Winner: HJC Design

Highly Commended: Flipt Concept, Haigh Pettican Ltd, Merlin Software

Best Overall Business Award (sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland)
Winner: Fosters Bakery

Highly Commended: Active Voice & Data, Digital Media Centre, Hickton Consultants