Time to get show on the road

TAKING to the mic . . . Geoff Clarke, Tunnel Engineering Services (left) with Martyn Torr, MC

7 More Image(s) In Gallery

THE Oldham Evening Chronicle hosted a reception at Oldham Event Centre to kick-off a calendar of activities leading up to the 2017 Oldham Business Awards.

Guests enjoyed drinks and a buffet, met award organisers, sponsors and winners, and looked around the event centre which includes meeting rooms and hospitality boxes overlooking the Oldham Athletic pitch.

Sponsors and winners also spoke about the benefits of getting involved in the Oldham Business Awards, which is now starting its ninth year.

Chronicle managing editor Dave Whaley welcomed guests and business editor Robbie MacDonald spoke about the company's range of services and products including the quarterly Oldham Business Edge magazine, which was launched last year.

The compere was Martyn Torr, the former Chronicle business editor who helped found the Oldham Business Awards and now works for the New Image events and PR firm.

Mr Torr interviewed Geoff Clarke, managing director of Derker-based Tunnel Engineering Services UK, who won two business awards in 2016 - for Business of the Year (£1milion to £5 million turnover) and Business Person of the Year.

Breakthrough

Mr Clarke highlighted how his firm had benefited from award publicity and introductions, which enabled his business to find additional finance that will fund a move into larger premises, keeping the firm in Oldham.

The funding breakthrough came after Mr Clarke attended a dinner at sponsor NatWest's Spinningfields office in Manchester along with other Oldham Business Award winners. He explained his need to find bigger premises to NatWest representatives, who began exploring options.

Mr Clarke also met Louise Slater, an awards steering group member from Oldham Council. She then contacted the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub to look at potential options. Eventually, a package of funding was secured which will now allow the engineering firm to move to a bigger building.

Mr Clarke also thanked Oldham-based David Wright, an exports advisor with UK Trade & Investment, for encouraging Tunnel Engineering Services UK to enter the business awards.

He added: "Obtaining the extra funding has all been down to getting involved in the Oldham Business Awards."

Another speaker was Frank Rothwell, managing director of Manchester Cabins. As both an award winner and sponsor, Mr Rothwell encouraged other businesses to become award sponsors.

Rob Smyth, stadium and events manager, and Sally Blakey, conference manager, showed guests around the event centre.

In addition to celebrating business success, the Oldham Business Awards supports local charities. So a cheque for £1,000 was presented to Dr Kershaw's Hospice.

Adam Husband, from NatWest, and awards chairman Aidan Towey, managing director of Innovative Technology, presented the cheque to hospice chairman Vernon Cressey.

The reception was the first event in a series of social and networking activities through the autumn, winter and spring that will build up to the Oldham Business Awards final ceremony in May, 2017.

On Thursday, November 3, the new sponsors will be publicly unveiled and the award nominations process launched at the Blue Tiffin restaurant on Shaw Road starting at 6pm. For details of that event, contact organiser Kashif Ashraf by emailing: kashif@ashraf.co.uk.

That will be followed by the annual Oldham Corporate Quiz on Thursday, November 24, at The White Hart, Lydgate, sponsored by Santander. The quiz is open to all businesses and includes a complimentary drink and hot food.

To enter, contact martyn@newimage.co.uk and make cheques payable to Oldham Business Awards sent c/o of Oldham Business Awards, 16-18 Shaw Road, Oldham, OL1 3LQ.

If you wish to pay by BACs, please email martyn@newimage.co.uk for details.

Check out more Oldham Business Awards pictures on our picture sales page.