One Oldham Business Awards:

NOMINEES:

Start-up Business of the Year, Business Man of the Year


Start-up Business of the Year

Sponsored by Innovative Technology


Lemon Sparkles Domestic Cleaning

734 Ashton Road, Hathershaw. Set up in July, 2009, by Michelle Walker who was made redundant after working in sales for 20 years.

Cleaning houses for disabled people, most of her work coming from the social services department of Oldham Council, Michelle paid for advertising, changed her much-loved car and, in her own words ‘got on with it’ adding: “My life has changed completely!”


Web Fusion Studios

51 Featherstall Road North, Westwood. Established in January, 2009, by Jahed Miah to provide cost-effective web site design and hosting service, the studio also offers a full range of leaflets and promotional material to promote the website.

The business also provides static, dynamic, e-commerce websites, search engine optimisation, graphic design and print, pay-per-click, software development for better control and management of small businesses.


Ampfab Ltd.

Sun Iron Works, Ward Street, Chadderton. Located at Sun Iron Works in Ward Street, Chadderton, Ampfab is a limited company set up in June, 2009, primarily as a result of two colleagues, contracts and works manager respectively, finding themselves jobless as a result of their former employer being placed in receivership.

Using their specialist knowledge in the museums and galleries equipment arena, gleaned over a combined 25 years, the partners are market specialists.


Fletchers Distribution

43A Gladstone Terrace Road, Greenfield. Owned by Ben Fletcher who started up in March, 2009, with two staff offering door-to-door leaflet/newspaper distribution.

In the latter half of 2009 Ben was offered a business-to-business distribution contract by a local company and has taken on two more staff. Original staff are now on a training programme via the enterprise centre for supervision duties.


Fresca Italian Restaurant

Gatehead Business Park, Delph New Road, Delph. With construction, restaurant and marketing experience within the team they set about developing a 130-seat modern Italian trattoria concept that could be rolled out nationally. Without using external design consultants, the business was planned, executed and opened for business in June, 2009.

The whole project was completed in a short timespan including the interior build and the installation of a state-of-the-art kitchen.


Home Instead Senior Care

1b Church Road, Uppermill. Home Instead is a franchise that supports older adults to live independently in their own homes. Created in America in 1995 the concept came to the UK in 2006 and offers a range of services from simple companionship which may involve conversation, participation in hobbies and crafts or trips out to the shops or places of interest. Assistance also provided with domestic chores.



Business Man of the Year

sponsored by The Oldham College

Matthew Sykes

managing director, Alphin Pans, Waterside Mills, Greenfield. Matthew started trading in September, 1999, and, over the last 12 months, has enjoyed healthy growth despite one of the world’s worst recessions, thanks to leadership and vision.

He bucked the trend to start manufacturing to rid himself of the wild currency fluctuations that hinder importers and has increased sales by 25 per cent and the workforce by a third.


Mohammed Arif
managing director, Friends Travel international Ltd., Ashton Road, Oldham. Mohammed started his travel industry business in July, 2003, and has been the rate of expansion has relocated three times.

In addition to acquiring agencies for PIA and Saudi Airline, the business —which now employs nine people with a turnover approaching £3 million — offers Hajj and Umrah packages and is negotiating to open a 24/7 call centre in either India/Pakistan.


Neil Hollingsworth

owner-manager, Rivermead Global Property, Cobden Street, Chadderton. Neil started his overseas property estate agency on leaving the RAF in 2006.

The agency acts as middleman between developers/builders and buyers and has expanded into supplying furniture packs using items sourced in the UK, including a delivery to St Lucia. The company is about to launch into Turkey.


Ian Taylor

managing director, Team Spirit Event Management, Boarshurst Business Park, Greenfield. Ian set up his business in in 1993, in Oldham, with support from Oldham Enterprise and The Prince’s Trust.

The company has grown to a business with turnover of circa £1.5million, operating throughout the UK and worldwide, recommended by global and UK brands including Marriott and von Essen hotels, Manchester United, QHotels, Principal Hayley Hotels and The Belfry and have become market leaders and pioneers in the UK for teambuilding events.


Gavin Wheeldon

chief executive officer, Applied Language Solutions, Riverside Court, Delph. Gavin established his translation and interpretation business in December, 2003, and has revolutionised the industry. He quickly realised that no other companies within the sector were capitalising on the opportunities offered through the use of technology in terms of business generation and working practice to reduce costs.

Six years on, Applied Language is the fastest growing translation company worldwide employing more than 100 people in eight countries and the business generates turnover of £6.2 million.


John Hall
managing director, F.T. Gordon Building Services Ltd., Salmon Fields Business Village, Royton. John founded this family business, in which his wife Ann and son Anthony are employed, in September, 1982, and today employs 85 people and is on target for a £4 million turnover thanks to a far-sighted expansion into the renewable energy market. Offers a one-stop shop for the design and installation of low energy products.


Michael Sheehan

managing director, Home Instead Senior Care, 1b Church Road, Uppermill. Michael started his business in January, 2009, supporting older adults to live independently in their own homes. Home Instead offers a range of services from simple companionship which may involve conversation, participation in hobbies and crafts or trips out to the shops or places of interest.


Paul Milner

director, Positive IT Solutions, Falcon Business Centre, Victoria Street Chadderton. Paul set up his business in March, 2005, to offer business efficiency through hardware infrastructure engineering and software applications.

The range of managed services, consultancy and support has seen Positive grow to a complete IT solutions business benefiting private, public and third sector organisations.