Great North Air Ambulance recognised as Business of the Year

On September 9, attendees gathered at Durham Cathedral for the inaugural celebration of regional business, to recognise the incredible resilience and determination of the North East.

The prestigious Business of the Year award, sponsored by Esh Group, was awarded by the North East England Chamber of Commerce to The Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Jim Entwistle, head of marketing and communications at Great North Air Ambulance, said: “These awards mean so much to so many people from the frontline team, to the staff who keep it all running, our army of volunteers, and the many thousands of supporters who make it all possible. We are so proud to be part of such a thriving business community in the region and would like to thank all involved for this prestigious award.”

As well as top honours, the Eaglescliffe-based charity was also celebrated as North East Champion of the Year by category sponsor, North East Times.

Chloe Holmes, partnership and marketing manager at North East Times, said: “The charity’s unwavering commitment to developing the capability and capacity of their resources, and the resilience they have shown during the last 18 months to adapt to the challenges thrown at them, is both truly inspiring and incredibly worthy of recognition.”

Other winners included recognised at the award ceremony included –

Export business of the year – Preston Engineering
Entrepreneur of the year – Everflow Group
Green business of the year – Battlesteads Hotel
Business diversification – Recovery4Life
Diversity and inclusion awards – SignPost
Small business of the year – Nirvana Europe
Medium-sized business of the year – Endeavour Partnership
Partner & President’s Club business of the year – Believe Housing

Lesley Moody MBE, Chamber president said: “The standard of entries for our awards was incredible. After all the challenges of COVID-19 we were delighted to read about so many North East businesses’ achievements. Our members have worked tirelessly to not just keep going but also grow, exploring new opportunities and markets. We offer our huge congratulations to all the winners but in particular to The Great North Air Ambulance Service. It is a fantastic charity saving hundreds of lives every year and also leading the world with training and innovations in emergency medical field.”

John Johnston, chief executive of associate sponsor Bernicia, said: “It’s great to see the Chamber Business Awards celebrating the very best of North East business in the stunning venue of Durham Cathedral. The businesses showcased at the final demonstrate the incredible resilience and strength of the North East business community to adapt and thrive in the most challenging of environments over the past 18 months.”

The judges of the awards were the category sponsors and included Wingrove Motor Company, Northumbrian Water, Teesside Airport, Durham University, Gateshead College, Womble Bond Dickinson, North East LEP, Northern Skills Group, North East Times and Esh Group.