EDP Business Awards 2023 recognise Norfolk's best businesses

Held at the Norfolk Showground and hosted by the hilarious Tom Allen, it was a fantastic insight into some of the incredible hard work, passion and innovation that can be found in our business community.

I’d like to say well done and thank you to everyone involved in this year’s awards, whether you were named a winner on the night or not - the full list of winners and finalists can be found below.

Richard Porritt welcomed businesses from across Norfolk to the EDP Business Awards 2023 ceremony on November 23 (Image: Matthew Potter Photography and Videography)

This was the sixth time I have delivered the opening speech at the Business Awards – although the ceremony that took place during the pandemic was done with rather fewer eyes burning in my direction.

The coronavirus pandemic is deemed by some as a ‘black swan event’. This term is commonly used in finance and beyond to describe something that is difficult or even impossible to predict – and when one happens it wreaks havoc.

Essayist Nassim Nicholas Taleb – who popularised the term in the early Noughties – claims events of this nature have three common attributes:

1. Nothing in the past can point to the possibility of them happening.
2. They have a huge and lasting impact.
3. After they happen, we rationalise them and concoct explanations to make them explainable and predictable.

Comedian Tom Allen hosted the EDP Business Awards 2023 (Image: Matt Potter Photography and Videography)

There are firms among our finalists and winners that have weathered all of those – and so has the Eastern Daily Press.

This year, our performance in print and online has been superb – just like these businesses, we are innovating. We are working hard and we are succeeding. And, of course, that is what the EDP Business Awards are all about – to celebrate success.

Delta Fire was named this year's Norfolk Business of the Year (Image: Matt Brasnett - I Do Photography)

The theme of this year’s ceremony was ‘people’, and I believe that people are the key to all successful ventures – including that of the Eastern Daily Press – and the East’s businesses are blessed with the very best.

Thank you to our headline sponsor Barclays Corporate Banking for its support as well as that of our category sponsors, our drinks reception sponsor Jarrolds and our event supporters Booker/Makro, All Day Brewing and John Doe Carpets and Furniture – without them these brilliant awards could not take place.

The winners of the EDP Business Awards 2023 were announced at a ceremony on November 23 (Image: Matthew Potter Photography and Videography)

This year we are also supporting Walking With The Wounded – a local charity that helps injured servicemen and women back into the workplace. The organisation is poised to launch its annual Christmas campaign in December. We're proud to have raised over £2,000 to support this worthy cause.

Don’t miss the supplement in the Eastern Daily Press on Wednesday, November 29, where you can find out more about our worthy winners.

For more information and updates regarding the EDP Business Awards 2024, please keep an eye on the website at edpbusinessawards.co.uk

THE WINNERS

Norfolk Business of the Year

Sponsored by Barclays Corporate Banking
Winner: Delta Fire
Finalists: Mervyn Lambert Plant and Richardson’s Leisure

Small Business of the Year

Winner: Tom and Toto
Finalists: Azure Outdoor Living, Chadwicks and LY Copywriting

Medium Business of the Year

Sponsored by Howden
Winner: Opergy Group
Finalists: GeoAcoustics, JPSE (John Plummer Sustainable Engineering) and Minors & Brady

Large Business of the Year

Sponsored by FRP
Winner: Plan B Management Solutions
Finalists: Delta Fire, Mervyn Lambert Plant and Klyne Aviation

Customer Excellence Award

Sponsored by Greater Anglia
Winner: MAD-HR
Finalists: Jarrold Training, River Green Restaurant and Step Teachers

Director of the Year

Winner: Phin Robinson, Pure Physiotherapy
Finalists: Jenna Owen - Ambition Public Relations, Jon Barnard - Greyfriars Project Management, Lauren Yaxley​ - LY Copywriting

Employer of the Year

Sponsored by Indigo Swan
Winner: Mobilityways
Finalists: Breakwater IT, Holkham Estate and Richardson’s Leisure

Environmental and Sustainability Award

Sponsored by Norse Group
Winner: Delta Fire
Finalists: Ceraphi Energy, Holkham Estate and SaxonAir

Growth Business of the Year

Sponsored by Ashtons Legal
Winner: Sekura Mobile Intelligence
Finalists: Azure Outdoor Living, Comm-Tech Voice and Data and Pure Physiotherapy

Positive Impact in the Community

Sponsored by Vattenfall
Winner: Home Instead Norwich
Finalists: Big C, East Anglian Air Ambulance and NR Health and Fitness

Rising Star of the Year

Sponsored by Birketts
Winner: Sekura Mobile Intelligence
Finalists: Ambition Public Relations, SkiYodl and The Goat Shed

Outstanding Achievement

Sponsored by Barclays Corporate Banking
Winner: Jarrolds