Wakefield Business Week was historically an annual event, delivered in a partnership capacity by stakeholders including Wakefield Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Wakefield First. This year, the hosts, WF4 Recovery changed the theme up to be Wakefield Bounce Back Week! Following the nine webinars held across five days from June 21st, organisers came together one final time to hold the Wakefield Bounce Back Week Awards on 6th August to celebrate the true innovators and leaders within the region.
Given the current climate, the awards were held as on online event, which curated a great turn out of resilient innovators from the region. There were three awards categories with bronze, silver and gold awarded for each with the gold award winner invited to speak at the event, along with other speakers such as the host Georgia Halston, Halston Marketing and Martin Hathaway from Mid Yorkshire Chamber.
“The sheer tenacity, the resilience of the people working in this region, showed us that there was absolutely nothing that we can’t get through, especially if we work together as a community.” – Georgia Halston
“Wakefield businesses have proven themselves to be more resilient than anywhere else in the country, in my view, especially during the last 18 months, and today we are here to celebrate that resilience.” – Martin Hathaway
First off was the Wakefield Pivot with Purpose Award, awarded for great strategic decisions which saved jobs and developed businesses for the Wakefield region, presented by Barney Mynott from The Federation of Small Businesses.
- The gold award went to Munir Mamujee from M2R Education.
- The silver went to Cheryl Lockwood from Lasting Beauty Wakefield Ltd.
- And the bronze award was given to Beth Kent from Northern Media.
Second was the Community Spirit Award, awarded to Wakefield-based companies who truly went above and beyond the call of duty to support their local community in the past year, presented by Jane Walton, Social Entrepreneur.
- The gold award went to Kerry Moxon from Junction 32.
- The silver went to Helen Redford from Arriva Yorkshire.
- And the bronze award was given to Craig Shepard from Wakefield Trinity Community Foundation.
The final award of the day was the Entrepreneurial Excellence award, awarded to recognise those businesses that flourished despite the growing hardships throughout lockdown, presented by Javed Khan from Wakefield Council.
- The gold award went to Molly Chapman from Wild in the Woods Ltd.
- The silver went to Vick Rawcliffe from Transcendence Holistic Therapies.
- And the bronze award was given to Emma Creighton from Black Heart.
We would like to thank everyone who has been involved in Wakefield Bounce Back Week and the Awards ceremony. The Wakefield district has demonstrated exceptional determination and community spirit throughout all the events that have taken place.
