As the end of another successful year draws closer, we review the highlights of Test Valley Business Awards 2017
Culminating in an impressive and well attended Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony at the Museum of Army Flying in September, the Test Valley Business Awards 2017 was the most successful year ever known in the Awards 13-year history.
So, what made 2017 such a success for the Test Valley Business Awards?
- January: The Steering Committee announces the launch of the Test Valley Business Awards 2017, held at The White Horse, Romsey, in March – tickets are made available online.
- February: The launch event becomes fully booked within 3 weeks, seeing over 100 business representatives prepare to attend.
- March: Entries to the Test Valley Business Awards 2017 officially opening; offering local business the opportunity to enter any of the year’s 6 categories, including Apprentice Employer of the Year, a new award sponsored by Andover College.
- April: Multi-category entry is encouraged, and entries exceed 100.
- May: Entries close, seeing a record-breaking 172 entries received from Test Valley businesses across 6 categories; with the most popular category declared as Small Business of the Year, sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy, seeing almost 50 flood in online.
- June: The judging period begins, and the Awards’ 6 Gold Sponsors – including the University of Southampton Science Park – begin analysing the entries received; talking to entering businesses, and visiting businesses from across the Test Valley.
- July: The Awards’ 18 finalists – 3 shortlisted businesses in each of the 6 categories – are announced and tickets to the Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony are released for sale online.
- August: Tickets to the widely anticipated Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony sell out as 170 businesses book to attend.
- September: The long-awaited Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony finally arrives! Seeing 170 business representatives enjoy a luxury 3 course meal courtesy of McCrimmon & Reid, Rev. Richard Coles join us as Guest Speaker, and 6 of our 18 shortlisted businesses announced as this year’s winners!
- October – November: The Worshipful, the Mayor of Test Valley, Cllr. Carl Borg-Neal visits each of this year’s winners; learning more about their respective businesses, and celebrating their achievements.
Yes, 2017 has been a wonderful year for the Test Valley Business Awards; showcasing the strengths and determinations of small, new, and proudly local businesses in the area.
Now in its 13th year, the Test Valley Business Awards – run by a steering group of volunteers – has become a well-established platform to promote businesses excellence and especially to shine a light on the many new and small innovative businesses operating out of sight. It is a great way to enable smaller enterprises to gain the recognition and exposure to grow.
Information about the night; including winners, and photos of the event, can be found on the Test Valley Business Awards website, at: www.tvbawards.org.uk
Main Photo: TVBA17 winners photo
