David Manners is double winner at the Midlands Family Business Awards

News
06/12/2018

Oldbury-based car parts supplier, David Manners, has been crowned Employer of the Year and won the Corporate Social Responsibility award at the region’s flagship awards for family businesses - the Midlands Family Business Awards.


An established market leader in the car parts industry, David Manners supplies classic and modern parts to retail, trade and wholesale customers around the world, and picked-up the two awards last night (22 November) at a prestigious black-tie ceremony in Leicester.


David Manners received the Corporate Social Responsibility title in recognition of its fundraising for Primrose Hospice in Bromsgrove, which involved the restoration of a Morris Minor that was raffled off, with all the proceeds going back to the hospice. Last year, the firm also introduced its Family Fund, which makes donations to worthy causes its staff are involved with.


David Manners also collected the Employer of the Year title, with judges citing its initiatives to improve staff wellbeing, which include a £100 wellbeing allowance, amongst its stand-out employee support.


Highly Commended in Corporate Social Responsibility was Bromsgrove-based egg processing company, Bumble Hole Eggs, and Telford family firm and the UK’s leading Erwin Hymer Group dealer, Travelworld Motorhomes, highly commended in the Fastest Growing Family Business category.


West Midlands firms scooped a further five highly commended awards - H20 Hygiene in the Best Small Family Business category, Southall Associates in Innovation, James T Blakeman & Co in Manufacturing Excellence, GemPort Jewellery in Retail Excellence, and Fairlawns Hotel in Service Excellence.


All forty-eight finalists were automatically entered into the People’s Choice Award sponsored by Streets Chartered Accountants – which saw them face the public vote. The overall winner was Oldrids & Downtown.


Derbyshire metal and waste recycling company, Ward was announced winner of the headline Family Business of the Year 2018.


Now in their ninth year, the not-for-profit Midlands Family Business Awards are backed and run by The Wilson Organisation, a Nottingham third-generation family business. The Awards are the region’s only independent, not-for-profit initiative dedicated to celebrating and recognising the success, achievements and innovations of family run and owned businesses.


This year’s ceremony was attended by over 300 guests from the awards’ finalists, independent judges and sponsors, including headline sponsor and former Family Business of the Year titleholder OrderWise.


Individual category sponsors of this year’s Awards are Buckles Solicitors, Goldfish Luxury Travel, John Pye Auctions, Morningside Pharmaceuticals, PwC, Shakespeare Martineau, Streets Chartered Accountants, The Wilson Organisation and V Formation. The Drinks Reception was sponsored by NIG Insurance.


The full line-up of Winners and Highly Commended in the 2018 Awards, are:


Family Business of the Year – sponsored by OrderWise


Winner – Ward (Derbyshire)

Highly Commended – J-Flex (Retford)

Highly Commended – WB Power Services (Derbyshire)


Best Small Family Business – sponsored by John Pye Auctions


Winner – Bright Side Vets (Swadlincote, Derbyshire)

Highly Commended – H20 Hygiene (Walsall)

Highly Commended – Nick Young Tractor Parts (Market Rasen, Lincolnshire)


Corporate Social Responsibility – sponsored by V Formation


Winner – David Manners (Birmingham)

Highly Commended – Bumble Hole Eggs (Bromsgrove, Worcestershire)

Highly Commended – Owen Taylor & Sons (Derbyshire)


Director of the Year – sponsored by Goldfish Luxury Travel


Winner – Matthew Ballard, Ballards Removals (Retford)

Highly Commended – Richard Broadhead, Oldrids & Downtown (Lincolnshire)

Highly Commended – Emma Brealey, Petwood Hotel (Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire)


Employer of the Year – sponsored by Buckles Solicitors


Winner – David Manners (Birmingham)

Highly Commended – Morley Hayes Leisure (Derbyshire)

Highly Commended – Swiftool Precision Engineering (Nottinghamshire)


Fastest Growing Family Business – sponsored by PwC


Winner – Ward (Derbyshire)

Highly Commended – Travelworld Motorhomes (Telford)

Highly Commended – Nick Young Tractor Parts (Market Rasen, Lincolnshire)


Innovation – sponsored by Morningside Pharmaceuticals


Winner – HSG UK (Derby)

Highly Commended – Southall Associates (Solihull, Birmingham)

Highly Commended – Streets Heaver Healthcare (Lincoln)


Manufacturing Excellence – sponsored by The Wilson Organisation


Winner – Owen Taylor & Sons (Derbyshire)

Highly Commended – A1 Flue Systems (Newark, Nottinghamshire)

Highly Commended – James T Blakeman & Co (Staffordshire)


Retail Excellence


Winner – Rutland Cycling (Rutland)

Highly Commended – GemPort Jewellery (Birmingham)

Highly Commended – The Internet Gardener (Nottinghamshire)


Service Excellence – sponsored by Shakespeare Martineau LLP


Winner – Premier Care (Mansfield)

Highly Commended – Bright Side Vets (Swadlincote, Derbyshire)

Highly Commended – Fairlawns Hotel (Walsall)


People’s Choice – sponsored by Streets Chartered Accountants


Winner – Oldrids & Downtown (Lincolnshire)

Highly Commended Bright Side Vets (Swadlincote, Derbyshire)

Highly Commended – Fairlawns Hotel (Walsall)


Wilsons’ managing director Charlotte Perkins commented:

“Our Awards team, panel of judges and each of our sponsors has been blown away by the exceptional performance and calibre of our finalists in this year’s Midlands Family Business Awards.

“We run the awards as a not-for-profit initiative and are honoured to provide a platform for the Midlands’ family business community to showcase and celebrate their successes and work, for the ninth year running.

“The talent, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of our finalists and winners highlights the significant role that family businesses play in keeping the Midlands’ economy thriving.”


For the full list of winners, visit: www.familybusinessawards.co.uk.


The Wilson Organisation provides innovative insurance and financial solutions to businesses and individuals both regionally and nationally. For more information, visit: www.wilorg.com