So much to hail at night of joy
Even during straitened times, the cream of Hampshire's business community still found time to celebrate success in style at The News' annual Business Excellence Awards.
From the red-carpet entry up the steps of Portsmouth's Guildhall, to the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the close of the night, around 500 business leaders, employees and corporate guests mingled and mulled over a successful year, and what the future holds for the region.
All those in attendance had one thing in common – their businesses had enjoyed a rollicking 2008, and they were willing to meet the challenge of the coming year head-on.
Business Link's Deborah Wyatt, who delivered an opening speech on the night, told BusinessWeek afterwards: 'It was great to see so many businesses being recognised for their success and their achievements, alongside the challenges in the economic climate. And what a great evening to make sure we're focused on what's good about business.
'It's a demonstration of the prestige of the awards that we were faced this year with so many high quality entries, and that every single year the bar seems to be set higher.
'For them to have been faced with difficult and incredibly challenging choices says this isn't about hyperbole, it's about increasing quality.'
During the ceremony, guests were asked to pledge donations to this year's supported charity, The Rowans Hospice.
Businesses certainly answered the call – at the end of the evening a final sum of 2,752 had been collected.
Tony Thorn, fund-raising and marketing manager for the hospice, wrote to say: 'This was a wonderful result and shows the strength of support for the hospice from the business community.
'The support of The News is going to be vital to us in the months and years ahead to keep the work of the hospice in the public eye and I am delighted that you have agreed to support us whenever you can.'
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North west
