The countdown has begun to the North Tyneside Business Awards in just two weeks’ time and we have our amazing list of shortlisted businesses from around the borough. In this blog, we’ll round up all the finalists and their categories before we put on our glad rags and head out for an evening of celebration, socialising and trophies.

 

Heart of the Community Award

Now in its sixth year, the Heart of the Community award recognises businesses who really care about the people in their community. Each of our finalists have shown a commitment to going the extra mile to encourage a community spirit and support the more vulnerable members of their community.

Here are the finalists!

 

Scentaholic – based in Howdon, Scentaholic is a small, family run business providing gorgeous bath, body and home fragrance products. Lyndsay Fleming opened the doors of her business in 2019 and has since helped to raise hundreds of pounds for various individuals and charities as well as opening her shop every weekend to help promote other local businesses and their products.

Square and Compass Bar – based on Park View in Whitley Bay, the team at Square and Compass have opened their bar up to Ukrainian refugees every Tuesday afternoon. At the bar they’ve been given a warm welcome and free refreshments alongside the opportunity to meet other refugees in the area. The company also supports as many local charities as possible to give back to their community.

Claire’s Family Fitness – specialising in family fitness, Claire’s business is a community hub that draws in all ages to improve their lifestyles and learn new skills to help keep them healthy. Claire and her team support a number of charities and has raised money during 2022 to install a defibrillator into the gym.

Voting is now open for this category – visit our dedicated website to place your vote.

 

New Business Award

This award celebrates businesses started since March 2021 and has enjoyed growth and success since then.

And the finalists are:

 

Blue Mental Health – founded during the Covid 19 pandemic, Blue Mental Health supports schools to develop their knowledge and understanding of mental health problems in children and young people.

The Wildside – a CIC based on the forest school model, which encourages its learners to follow their curiosity and interests, learn about themselves and the natural world through exploration, connection and education. Based in Shiremoor, The Wildside offers events and classes for all ages.

Barista Boho – based in North Shields, Barista Boho is a community hub that welcomes people from all walks of life. With a menu based on #poshstreetfood, the team runs a number of workshops and events while serving locally sourced, organic food and drinks.

 

Resilience Award

Awarded to celebrate business that have thrived in the face of adversity, this award seems even more important in the light of recent economic difficulties.

Let’s meet the finalists.

 

Eli’s Bakery – Originally founded during 2018, Eli’s Bakery has enjoyed huge success despite the onset of the pandemic in 2020. The business is thrived by creating artisan bread and cakes for local businesses as well as attending food fairs and catering for corporate events.

Littley Bay Ltd – a role play activity centre in the heart of Whitley Bay, Littley Bay was hit hard by the pandemic, being forced to close its doors for months. Littley Bay is run by parents and educators, Gemma and Michelle aim to help children learn through role play and give parents a break at the same time.

Namaste – Taste of India – based at Royal Quays in North Shields, Namaste provides a takeaway, café and specialist food shopping experience for its customers. Having moved premises in recent months, Namaste is diversifying into gifts, jewellery and clothes alongside the food and kitchenware lines.

 

Innovation Award

This award will go to a business which has either identified new and innovative ways of working or has created something that is unique in the marketplace.

The finalists are…

 

LamasaTech Ltd – Established in 2009, LamasaTech is an award-winning, creative technology agency. Since the global pandemic, LamasaTech has developed personnel check-in kiosks with temperature measurement and vaccine status validation to provide safer environments in the workplace.

Belle & Herbs Farm – based at the Rising Sun Country Park, friends Sam and Pan founded Belle & Herbs Farm. Handmaking all of their produce, the company makes raw, fermented food to help with gut health. They have a strict zero-waste policy, recycle any plastic or cardboard packaging, and all their kitchen waste is composted. They source their ingredients with a ‘nearest first’ policy and their processes are largely very low energy. They also employ people whose employment was affected by the pandemic.

Singer Machines Ltd – an established business in the heart of Whitley Bay, the team at Singer Machines has used innovation to develop a 3D printing service to create obsolete parts to fix sewing machine that might otherwise have been rendered useless.

 

Heart of the Business Award

This award goes to an individual who, nominated by their business, has had an impact on the success of the business and is an integral part of their success.

There are three finalists:

 

Peter from NE Display Ltd was nominated by his colleagues for his loyalty and growth with the company over the ten years he has worked there. His ability to multi-task and delivery outstanding design work for all his clients is only made better by his devotion to working within the school community, creating designs that not only look spectacular but engage students too.

Lisa Crowther from The Whitley Bay Clinic is the lead-practitioner and founder of Whitley Bay Clinic and has driven the growth of the business since 2013. She leads a team of highly skilled practitioners and takes enormous pride in the recommendations she receives from NHS colleagues as well as the repeat custom from a loyal and expanding customer base.

Sylvester Spinelli from Eli’s Bakery was nominated for his steadfast determination to create a bread baking business during lockdown. He’d been used to being a busy chef and found lockdown with a two-month-old very difficult indeed. Sylvester was determined to open a bakery to provide real bread to the local community while working 12-hour days and caring for his young family too.

 

Action on Climate Change Award

Awarded to a business that has taken action to protect and enhance the environment, the finalists have been selected due to their commitment to carbon reduction, ‘green thinking’ and the use of environmentally friendly products and processes.

The finalists:

 

Sammy Anne’s – a sanctuary offering holistic and sports therapies, Sammy Anne’s offers vegan-friendly products, naturally derived skincare and 100% pure essential oils for all massages.

Ride Electric – based in Tynemouth Station, Ride Electric provides e-bikes for hire or to buy, as well as providing advice and support to choose the e-bike life.

Fisherman’s Bay – a family-run fish and chip shop in Whitley Bay, Fisherman’s Bay not only sources all of its ingredients sustainably but also committed to planting 1,000 trees during the summer of 2022 to offset their carbon footprint.

 

And that’s it for this year. If you’d like to know more about the Awards head over to the Business Awards website.