Who will win the Judges’ Award in the Fenland Citizen Business Awards 2025?
The panel of judges in the Fenland Citizen Business Awards 2025 has been busily out and about meeting our finalists and choosing their category winners.
But there is one award that is open for all our finalists and that is the Whitings LLP Prestige Award.
The judges this year are: Margo Hughes and Ian Smith from Goldstar Metal Traders, sponsors of the Best New Start-up category; Yvonne Ogden of Clarion Futures, sponsor of Best Social Enterprise; Wendy Smith from Nestle Purina who is sponsoring both the Employer of the Year and the Business Innovation categories; Ben Beech from our headline sponsors Whitings LLP, who is also sponsoring the Business of the Year award; Helen Peak from Mapus Smith & Lemmon, sponsors of the Business Person of the Year; Iain Kirkbright of Chaos (mystery shopper) sponsor of Customer Care; Daniel Ball of Fraser Dawbarns, sponsors of Agriculture and Environment Champion; Jo Kupyn and Jim Waller from Fenmarc, sponsors of Retail and Hospitality and finally Charlotte Horrobin from Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce who is judging the Team of the Year.
However, unlike in past years when the Judges’ Prestige Award has been chosen at a gathering of the judging panel, this year’s top award will be judged by representatives of Whitings LLP.
This is a special award given by Whitings in recognition of overall achievement and will presented to one of the finalists at our gala dinner at March Braza Club in Elm Road, March, on Friday, March 14.
It could go to one of our category winners or the judges may decide to give it to a business or individual who they think deserves to be singled out for special recognition.
Local business owners shortlisted have been receiving visits from the category judges in the past couple of weeks.
The visits have enabled the judges to ask lots of questions to really find out how the finalists tick and to get a real flavour of the individual values and ethos of each company.
The awards are being brought to you by Iliffe Media publishers of the Fenland Citizen and this is the third year they have been held.
Each finalist will be given two free tickets per business for the gala awards night which will include a canapes and drinks reception followed by a three-course dinner.
Extra tickets are available to purchase through the awards website: www.fenlandcitizenbusinessawards.co.uk
Whitings LLP, one of the region’s leading accountancy firms, has proudly been the headline sponsor since the launch of the awards in 2023.
The gala night starts at 6.30pm, with the dinner being served from 7pm and the awards winners being announced from about 9pm.
The evening will be a great opportunity for attendees to network, and to appreciate and celebrate the achievements of businesses across our district.
The shortlisted finalists are:
Business Innovation (Nestle Purina): DKO Wheatley, Doorbrite, The Singing Gardener.
Employer of the Year (Nestle Purina): Pure Heart Homecare, Rai & Rai General Builders.
Best Social Enterprise (Clarion Housing): Blackfield Creatives, FACT, Ferry Project.
Best New Start-Up (Goldstar Metal Traders): Ben Harding Window Cleaning, First Turn Media, Smiths Butchers.
Business of the Year (Whitings): Build a Brand, Crown Lodge Hotel, Goldstar Metal Traders.
Customer Care (sponsorship available): Fenland Families and Baby Bank, March Fast Fit & Servicing, Sizzler Barbecue Caterers.
Agriculture and Environment Champion (Fraser Dawbarns LLP): NFU Mutual, Tamar Nurseries, Vine House Farm.
Retail & Hospitality (Fenmarc): B&R Dining, March, Five Bells, Tydd St Mary, Oliver Twist Country Inn, Guyhirn.
Businessperson of the Year (Mapus-Smith & Lemmon LLP): Charlotte Watson - Charlotte Watson Financial Planning, Hollie Summerscales - Nine Twelve Hospitality, Shona Hamilton-Higgins - Lilac HR.
Team of the Year (sponsorship available): Doorbrite, More Muzic Radio, RKA Kickboxing.