The News Business Excellence Awards: Winners celebrate their awards over networking lunch

The annual winners’ lunch for winners and sponsors of The News’ Business Excellence Awards was held at  lead sponsor Trethowans’ head office in Hedge End yesterday. 

The News' awards took place for the 18th year on February 1 at Portsmouth Guildhall and saw 15 honours handed out in a range of categories from Apprentice of the Year up to Lifetime Achievement. 

The scheme saw hundreds of entries across a wide array of industries and were judges by top business experts. 

Editor of The News Mark Waldron said: ‘I want to extend my congratulations to everybody here. This is an event that we have added to the awards as we have developed them over the years. 

‘It is another way to get the creme de la creme of business together and say congratulations. 

‘We don't like to be a newspaper that just reports on things, we like to get involved too.’ 

Lucy Gleisner, from Trethowans, said: ‘As much as people on the evening get a chance to celebrate, this is a chance for the winners to have lunch and to talk to each other. 

‘This is our third year sponsoring the awards and we have found this event to be a very valuable way to chat to the winners, and the fact you are all here is a fantastic achievement.' 

At the lunch were Andrew and Robert Pearce from Creatiques Bridal Boutique in Albert Road, Southsea, which won Retailer of the Year. 

Andrew said: ‘We were thrilled and amazed to have won for a third year. It is great as the people who came to judge us were not part of our industry and to have that feedback from business experts is incredible. 

‘It has been very valuable for us. The award is on our desk and everybody who comes in comments on it. People saw our story in the newspaper and online and on social media. It is incredible for a little shop like ours to be recognised so widely.’ 

Also at the event was Mick Baulch from L&S Waste, in Fareham, which won the Community Contribution award. 

Mick said: ‘It was very exciting to win. Our staff are pleased with the award and it is a reflection of their hard work over the past year.’