Are you the best in the Test (Valley)? Test Valley Business Awards make final call for nominations

With the nomination deadline for the Test Valley Business Awards, midnight on Friday, 28th June, fast approaching, the committee has put out a final call for businesses in the region to nominate themselves.

“Awards are good for business – your business! This is especially true if they are based in and rewarding enterprises in your region,” said Rhonda Smith, member of the Test Valley Business Awards committee and a winner of these awards in previous years for her business Minerva Communications UK Ltd.

“Minerva has been established for 14 years in the Borough of Test Valley and winning the New Business of the Year, sponsored then by Hampshire County Council, provided a great boost to both establishing our reputation and supporting recruitment,” She added.

“Further participation, and indeed wins, over the years has helped maintain that visibility and our own sustainability.”

Returning in 2024 for its 20th year – after an absence since 2021 – the awards aim to celebrate and acknowledge the excellence of businesses of all sizes and sectors thriving in this beautiful and enterprising part of Hampshire.

Members of the TVBA Committee at the launch event

It is also an area with sustainability on the minds of its businesses, charities, organisations and citizens as all seek to improve our management of and engagement with our environment and natural resources.

This commitment to sustainability among enterprise in the region is underlined by two of the businesses who took part in the recent Hampshire Biz Roundtable on sustainability also sponsoring the TVBAs.

“In addition,” added Rhonda, “Test Valley Borough Council is sponsoring the new award of Sustainability, designed to acknowledge the journey that all businesses are on to reduce their impact on the environment and meet the growing demands of customers and consumers to improve and deliver ‘real’ green credentials.

“No business is expected to have sustainability ‘done and dusted’ right now but all can share and celebrate the progress they have made and their visions for the future. That’s what the Sustainability Award is all about.”

Take a look here www.tvbawards.org.uk for details of the seven categories available supported by seven separate Gold sponsors:

• Business in the Community (Barratt David Wilson Homes)
• Innovation & Technology (University of Southampton Science Park)
• New Business of the Year (Access Care)
• Rural Business of the Year (The Oak, Smannell)
• Small Business of the Year (Parker Bullen LLP)
• Sustainability (Test Valley Borough Council)
• Young Business Person of the Year (Sparsholt Group)

TVBA Sponsors at the launch event

The TVBAs are open to any business of any size or sector. All that is needed is the completion of a form and submission of a 250 word nomination, packed full of information that meet the criteria of each of the seven categories selected.

Ronda concluded: “Businesses can enter more than one category but separate entries should be crafted to meet those criteria for each – but don’t be constrained by these.

“Businesses and organisations – do make sure you do justice to your own business and its unique characteristics.”

Judging by the sponsors will take place over the summer months with short-listed organisations notified in early autumn and the Awards night celebrated at the Army Flying Museum on Thursday 24^th October 2024.

Nominations, which can be made through the website, close on Friday 28th June.

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