A showcase for Oldham success

Newest sponsor: Arfan Khurshid outside his business premises in Hollins Road

Only days left to enter
ARFAN Khurshid has joined the growing ranks of businesses sponsoring the One Oldham Business Awards.

He has invested in Associate status through his Home Lettings North West business, which is based in Hollins Road, Oldham.

Arfan, who established the business 13 months ago, deals in houses and apartments in and around the greater Oldham area and is keen to raise the profile of his enterprise through the presentation dinner at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Oldham, on Friday, March 2.

He said: “The business awards showcase all that is good about the Oldham business community and here at Home Lettings North West we are keen to show that we are part of this borough’s success.”

He is the latest in a string of businesses associating themselves with the awards, now in their fourth year.

Entries close this weekend and from Monday the judging panels, each chaired by the category sponsor, will begin the tough task of whittling down entrants to a shortlist of three in each category.

Steve Kilroy, from BAE Systems, Chadderton, chairman of the awards steering group, said: “Every year the job gets harder for the judging panels...the standards are so high.

“Last year the entry levels for the Start-Up and Young Entrepreneur categories were not too good, but this year — with a week to go — they have the healthiest number of entries.

“That’s a good sign for the future of Oldham and a sign that the economy is perhaps beginning to pick up. We hope so, we believe that these awards reflect all that is good about the Oldham business community.

“The fact we have sold more than 400 tickets for the dinner, without even selling any extras to the finalists, is proof that the business people of Oldham have taken these awards to their collective heart.

“There is still time to enter the awards. The closing date is Friday but we will be collecting late entries from the website —www.oldhambusinessawards.co.uk — on Monday morning before the packs are sent to the individual judges.

“So if you haven’t yet entered I advise that you do it today. We have a fabulous evening planned for Friday, March 2, — including a chairman’s surprise — and remember, all the shortlisted finalists get free tickets.”