The Oldham Business Awards is back!

The 2019 Oldham Business Awards were officially launched last night (Wednesday) - and the organisers hope to make next year’s event the biggest and best yet.

The nomination process will get underway tomorrow week (November 2) when firms will be urged to register their expressions of interest through the official Oldham Business Awards website — www.oldhambusinessawards.co.uk — by December 21.

The site will allow nominations to be completed online or through a downloaded form.

Organisers will then begin a process of visiting businesses during January and February to help them complete nominations.

Judges will publish a shortlist of finalists in March then the final winners will be unveiled at the awards ceremony at Oldham’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on Friday, April 26, 2019.

There was a healthy turnout at the recent Oldham Business Awards launch event at the Victoria Hotel in Chadderton.

Hosted by Steering Group member Kashif Ashraf, there was a neat video looking back at last year’s awards night and short speeches from Hotel General Manager Rob Nicholson, Steering Group Chair Steve Kilroy and Oldham Council Leader Sean Fielding.

Mr Kilroy said: “These awards are not about any individuals.

“They are about local companies, and the people who work at these companies who are keen to do their bit in raising the profile of Oldham.”

Councillor Fielding added: “These awards really are capable of changing the Oldham story.

“The success of this annual event is testament to how hard the steering committee work and all what they do behind the scenes.

“Let’s all do our utmost to change the perception of Oldham.”

The Victoria Hotel event concluded with regular awards night MC Martyn Torr conducting a question and answer session with a representative from sponsor Pearson’s Solicitors and one from one of 2018’s category winners, Remedian IT.

This year’s 10th annual awards night in May attracted more than 600 guests and was the biggest business dinner in Greater Manchester.

The Oldham Business Awards also raises lots of money for two nominated charities – Dr Kershaw’s Hospice and the Mahdlo Youth Zone.

The next fund-raising event is a Corporate Quiz night which takes place on November 15 at the White Hart in Lydgate.

THE new autumn edition of Oldham Business Edge magazine is now available.

The free quarterly magazine is aimed at business and professional readers and is also published by the Oldham Chronicle.

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