The first online Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 Business Awards gave people the opportunity to Zoom in on the annual event.

The membership organisation works with companies and partners to promote business across the area, giving a powerful voice and lobbying presence to help the two districts.

Each year, 2020 puts on a prestigious black-tie awards event, attended by hundreds of people who gather to celebrate the work of local business people.

But because large events cannot take place at the moment due to the coronavirus pandemic, 2020’s awards went online this year — and proved to be a big hit.

Gary Jordan, who co-hosted the event with his 2020 co-chair, Jane Box, (above), said: “It was fantastic, and everyone played their part by dressing up smartly.

“It was a fun way to host the awards, which had to go ahead in some form so that we could continue to shout about the great businesses and people we have in our area.”
The Business Of The Year category was won by Mansfield business Asbestos Compliance Solutions.

Tim Booker, managing director of Asbestos Compliance Solutions (pictured top), said: “It was a shock for us to win, especially as there are so many great companies out there in our area.

“I think a lot of the smaller businesses need to have the confidence to shout about what they are doing.”

Brian Smith, of R.E.A.L. Education, received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement/Outstanding Commitment To Mansfield And Ashfield Award.

Other award winners included:

Commitment To The Community ­— Mansfield Building Society
Charity Of The Year — Rainbows Hospice
Apprentice Of The Year — Sam Greasley, of Midlands Asset Finance, South Normanton
Increased Sustainable Business Practices — Mayborn Group, Mansfield
Customer Focus Initiative — RoundWorks IT
Excellence In Innovation And Design — Portland College – Woodland Adventure Zone
Entrepreneurial Spirit — Fresh Start Recruitment, Mansfield
New Business Of The Year ­— Lighting Project Solutions, Mansfield

A special award for the online event saw Jason Roper, digital technology adviser, East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, win the Best Dressed Attendee award.

Luke Watts, co-founder with Matthew Riffat of RoundWorks IT, Mansfield, said: “It’s an honour to win, especially given the year we have all had. It’s a wonderful boost of positivity for the team here at RoundWorks IT.

“Since creating RoundWorks IT back in late 2016, our customers have always come first.

“The experience here at RoundWorks IT is focused on the customer. IT is very niche to each business and the better we understand our customers, the better their IT infrastructures and their experience with IT will be.”

2020 operations manager Ella McManus added: “We have received a lot of emails from people saying how much they enjoyed the event, and many got dressed up especially for it, even though they didn’t leave the office or home.

“It was quite a logistical operation to get it all working and we will learn from the experience so that if we ever need to do it again, it is even better.”

To view the awards in full go to https://youtu.be/DCqzT_Ho0s8

PHOTOS: Elizabeth Orridge Photography / WORDS: Wayne Swiffin