Team behind ‘a shining example’

The One Oldham Business Awards steering group

THE team behind the pioneering One Oldham Business Awards has been nominated for recognition in the Pride in Oldham Business category.

The business awards gala presentation dinner at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, sponsored and supported by a host of businesses and organisations throughout the borough, is now entering its fourth year and has become the must-attend event for Oldham’s business community.

Launched four years with the financial support of continuing title sponsor NatWest, the awards have attracted nominations from a broad spectrum of business, commercial and retail leaders and are eagerly sought by short-listed finalists.

Members of a steering group — chaired by Steve Kilroy, from BAE Systems at Chadderton — have managed and organised the awards process, an eight-month project, on a voluntary basis, selflessly giving up their time.

Recognising this contribution to the well-being of the borough’s business life, Craig Dean, president of the Oldham Local Council of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, has nominated the steering group for Pride in Oldham recognition.

The chief executive of Web Applications Ltd, a high-tech business based at Gravel Walks, Mumps, said: “I recognise the many pressures facing business leaders on a day-to-day basis.

“The OBA steering group is made up of those same business leaders and community activists who are passionate about Oldham, its people and the businesses.

“As well as leading incredibly busy lives supporting their own businesses, they have volunteered their own time to do something really positive for our community.

“At the height of the recession, this group of people chose to focus on the positive things that businesses in the borough were doing.

“Through the launch of the One Oldham Business Awards, they created an event that celebrates the great work done by Oldham businesses and in so doing are shining a spotlight on some of the wonderful talent we have working in our town.

“The One Oldham Business Awards has grown to become the key event in business diaries and is a showcase of the best the town has to offer.

“Such is its success that the model is rapidly being copied by our neighbours. Meanwhile, the volunteers on the OBA steering group continue to give of their time to ensure that each year the awards go from strength to strength.

“Surely there is no greater of example of a group of people that not only take pride in Oldham, but have done so much to restore the pride of others in our great town?”

Expressing “surprise but also sheer delight” at the nomination, Mr Kilroy said: “We know the awards have become ingrained in the business community through the number of nominations we receive and the support for the gala dinner, but this is something none of us expected. We all give our time freely because we believe in Oldham and to be in with a chance of a Pride award is a delight none of us expected.”

The steering group comprises Mr Kilroy and Sue Dawson, from BAE Systems; Steve Duthie and Martyn Torr, from the Evening Chronicle; Michelle Geoghehan, from Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce; Steve Lowe and Lee Crook from NatWest; Kash Ashraf, from the Asian Business Association; and June Smith, from Oldham Council.