Record Entries Leads To Record Finalists For Swale Business Awards

Written by Wesley Horan on 06th August 2018

The 2018 Swale Business Awards are set to be bigger than ever, after judges received a record number of entry forms.

46 businesses from throughout Sheppey, Sittingbourne and Faversham entered the 2018 awards, and after much difficult deliberation, the judging panel has shortlisted the 2018 finalists.

Emma Elgar, Head of Marketing at Kent Science Park has joined the judging panel for the first time this year. She discussed her experience of shortlisting the finalists:

“I am delighted to be joining the judging panel this year. The calibre of business in Swale is so high and diverse making it a difficult but stimulating process for the judges. This is a chance for businesses to raise their profile, benchmark themselves against the best in the area and celebrate success with their employees. I am very excited to meet the businesses we have shortlisted as finalists and the masterminds behind them.”

Due to the calibre of the entries that the awards received this year, the judges made the decision to increase the number of finalists to 24. Gavin Coleman, Branch Manager of Handelsbanken and Swale Business Awards judge explained this decision:

“The quality of this year’s entrants was once again of a very high standard. Not only did we receive more entrants than we have in any other year since the Swale Business Awards began, but the entrants we did have were of such quality that we felt it was only right to increase the number of businesses that went through as finalists. It is wonderful to see that there are so many successful businesses thriving right across the Swale region and the Business awards provide a great platform to promote and celebrate a selection of the best of them."

The finalists for the 2018 awards are as follows:

AbBaltis
ABM Training UK
AngelsLocks
Bennett Opie
Burden Bros Agri
Computer Rescue
D Dee's Day Nursery
Farmwood Mechanical and Electrical Services
Hempstead House Hotel & Spa
Karen Richardson Independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultant
Kate Hennessy Photography
Kent and Medway Biological Records Centre
Kent Catering Service
Kesson Physio
Modus Construction Consultants
Mr India
Neighbourhood Furniture Store
No Place Like Home
Olivers Personnel Services
Rhubarb Business Services
Sheppey Matters (Sheppey FM)
The Harmony Therapy Trust
Tribeca Technology Group
Unipet International

The judging panel will begin visiting the finalists over the next few weeks. All finalists will be invited to the Swale Business Awards 2018 Gala Awards Evening, taking place at Kent Event Centre on 12^th October. If you are interested in attending the awards evening, please email awards@swalebusinessawards.co.uk for more information.

Handelsbanken and Swale Means Business are the principal sponsors of the 2018 Swale Business Awards. The Swale Business Awards are sponsored by ArrivaClick, C & D Logistics South East, Checkmate, COOK Trading, CS One Design, Enterprise Centres, Gallery Direct, George Webb Finn, Invicta Financial Group, Kent Event Centre, Kent Science Park, Medichem, Shepherd Neame, Swale Borough Council, Thomson Snell & Passmore, UHY Hacker Young, University of Greenwich and William Whitmey Independent Funeral Directors.