Here are the Award Categories and their Sponsors for the 2021 Rossendale Business Awards.

You can nominate as many Rossendale businesses as you want for the Valley at Work Award. Every nominated business will be contacted by us, so we can send them an entry form. They they choose which other categories they want to enter when they complete the form. If you think that a particular category from the list suits the business you are nominating to a ‘T’, say so on your nomination form and we shall pass the message on.

There are two other (standalone) categories you can nominate for: Enterprising Young Person and Enterprising Person. These are special awards created to celebrate the achievements of specific groups.

We have a judging panel of local business people that review all the entries we receive to determine finalists and winners.

Award Categories Sponsors You can enter this category if… Award Criteria
Valley at Work Award Valley at Work You are a nominated Rossendale business. Every business that is nominated is nominated for this award. All nominated businesses then choose which other categories they wish to enter. This category celebrates the best of our best. The winner of this category will be a local business that is, in the opinion of the judging panel, the best nominated for any award category this year. The winning business will be a beacon of inspiration for all.
Large Business Metis HR Your business has an annual turnover greater than £1m. The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most successful and sustainable Rossendale-based business nominated this year with an annual turnover greater than £1m. The business will have been trading since before April 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • Improved business performance since April 2020
  • Sound business and financial planning
  • Success in overcoming challenges to drive forward its business plan
  • Staff involvement and motivation to meet business objectives
  • A clear plan for future growth of the organisation.
Invest in Rossendale Award Rossendale Borough Council You have started trading since April 1st 2020. The winner of this award will be a new Rossendale-based business (started trading since April 1st 2020) that, in the opinion of the judging panel, has been the most successful start-up. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • Performance against initial business objectives
  • Sound business, marketing and financial planning
  • Success in overcoming challenges to drive forward your business plan
  • A team ethos and motivation to meet business objectives.
Enterprising Young Person Rossendale High Schools You are 18 or younger and have achieved something enterprising. The winner of this award will be a young person or a team of young people (18 or under) from Rossendale that, it in the opinion of the judging panel, has achieved the most from their enterprise education since April 2020.

  • This may be through a work experience placement, a school-based enterprise competition or an enterprising project
  • They will have described their enterprising activity, what was achieved and how they have benefited from this achievement
  • There will be supporting statements from local businesses where appropriate.
Food & Drink Business Kay’s Fish and Chips Your business makes and/or serves food and/or drink. The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most impressive local business that makes and/or serves food and/or drink nominated this year. The business will have been trading since before April 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • What is impressive/unique about their food and/or drink business
  • Improved business performance since April 2020
  • Sound business, marketing and financial planning
  • Success in overcoming challenges to drive forward their plans
Medium Business Metis HR Ltd Your business has an annual turnover of between £251K and £1m The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most successful and sustainable Rossendale-based business nominated this year with an annual turnover between £250K and £1m. The business will have been trading since before April 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • Improved business performance since April 2020
  • Sound business and financial planning
  • Success in overcoming challenges to drive forward its business plan
  • Staff involvement and motivation to meet business objectives
  • A clear plan for future growth of the organisation.
MicroBusiness Business Over Breakfast (North West) Ltd Your business has annual turnover of up to £100K. The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most successful and sustainable Rossendale-based MicroBusiness nominated this year. The MicroBusiness will have been trading since before April 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • A clear vision and rationale for the MicroBusiness
  • A strong, evidenced track record of success since April 2020
  • Plans for future growth and business development.
Not for Profit Award Woodcocks, Haworth and Nuttall You are a not for profit business, social enterprise, charity or community project. The winner of this award will be a nominated Rossendale based not for profit business, social enterprise or charity that has, in the opinion of the judging panel, made significant improvements in the last year. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • Improved performance since April 2020
  • The positive impact of their activities on the community or beneficiaries
  • Community engagement
  • Effective, balanced leadership across governance and operations
  • Financial sustainability not wholly reliant on statutory funding
Visit Rossendale Award Rossendale Borough Council Your business is associated with the tourism and leisure sector. The winner of this award will be a Rossendale-based attraction, business or event associated with the tourism, hospitality or leisure business associated with the tourism and leisure sector that has, in the opinion of the judging panel, has made an outstanding contribution to Rossendale’s visitor economy since April 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • What their outstanding contribution to the local visitor economy has been
  • Improved business performance since April 2020
  • Evidence of high levels of visitor satisfaction with their attraction, business or event
  • Powerful and effective marketing to showcase their attraction, business or event.
Independent Retailer Rawtenstall Chamber of Commerce You are an independent retailer with physical or virtual retail outlet(s) The winner of this award will be an independent retailer based in Rossendale that, in the opinion of the judging panel, has provided consistent excellence for its customers in the year since April 2020. This award is open for any independent retailers based in Rossendale who operate traditional retail outlet(s), sell directly to the consumer (via direct mail, farmers markets, etc) and/ or retail online. This includes recent business start-ups and those which have been established for some time. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • Improved business performance since April 2020
  • Sound business, marketing and financial planning
  • Success in overcoming challenges to drive forward the business plan
  • All available assets and resources combining to meet business objectives.
Creative Business  GrowTraffic Ltd You are a business where creativity and/or creative skills is a critical success factor. The winner of this award will have made the best use of their creativity or creative skills to drive their business forward. This award is open to any business (from any sector), regardless of how long they have been trading. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • How they have used their creativity or creative skills to drive their business forward
  • Improved business performance since April 2020
  • Sound business, marketing and financial planning
  • Success in overcoming challenges (especially COVID-19) to drive forward their plans
Part-Time Business Winter Solicitors Your business works around your other personal commitments. This category celebrates the achievements of Rossendale people who have chosen to run a business, social enterprise or community project around the other commitments in their life. Although they are not doing this on a full-time basis, they have achieved the level of success they were looking for. The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most successful and sustainable Rossendale-based part-time business nominated this year. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • What their part-time business is
  • Why running a part-time business was the only solution for them
  • How they fit running the business around the other commitments in their lives
  • What success means to them
  • How they have progressed towards that success
  • A clear vision for the future of their business
Customer Friendly Business
 Sole Trader Rossendale Free Press Your business is just you.  The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most successful an sustainable Rossendale business with 1 employee (the owner) nominated this year. The business will have been trading since before April 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • A clear vision and rationale for the business
  • A strong, evidenced track record of success since April 2020
  • Have a plan for development and growth
Enterprising Person Dawn Rose Contemporary Jewellery & Accessories  You are a in a leadership role in a local business or organisation The winner of this award will be a someone working in their own business, or a local organisation who is a strong, independent, confident leader. They will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, an inspiration for other people who may be considering a leadership role or starting or growing their own business. Nominees will be asked to describe:

  • How their leadership style and skills have brought distinct benefits to their business/organisation.
  • Improved business performance since April 2020 as a result of their leadership style and skills
  • How their experiences might inspire others to become business owners or leaders.
Workforce Development Award Nelson & Colne College Group You have been developing higher level skills in your workforce The winner of this will be the Rossendale organisation that, in the opinion of the judging panel, has benefitted the most from their excellent and/or innovative workforce development activities. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • Organisational performance has improved since April 2020
  • The nature of their workforce development activities (this might include apprenticeships, higher level skills development, in-house or provider delivered training programmes, etc)
  • How these workforce development activities have contributed to their improvement in performance
Small Business Coaty Developments Limited Your business has an annual turnover of between £100K and £250K The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most successful and sustainable Rossendale-based business nominated this year with an annual turnover between £100K and £250K. The business will have been trading since before April 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • Improved business performance since April 2020
  • Sound business and financial planning
  • Success in overcoming challenges to drive forward its business plan
  • Staff involvement and motivation to meet business objectives
  • A clear plan for future growth of the organisation.
 Service Business Tricketts Insurance Brokers Your business model is based around service, not production. The winner of this award will be, in the opinion of the judging panel, the most successful and sustainable Rossendale service business nominated this year, regardless of size or how long it has been trading. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • The quality and scope of the service that they deliver to their customers
  • A strong, evidenced track record of success since April 2020
  • Have a plan for development and growth
Made in Rossendale The Boo Your business makes something original that has made you successful This winner of this award will be a business that makes something. They might be a manufacturer, an artisan or in the creative or performing arts, but what they make will be original to them. They will have been trading since before April 1st 2020. Nominees will be asked to demonstrate:

  • What is special and original about what they make
  • The ‘wow’ factor it has brought to their business
  • Improved business performance since April 2020