The shortlist has been announced for the Somerset Business Awards 2024, with companies, charities and individuals from across the county vying for the honours.
Judges faced a tough time whittling down the huge number of entries for the 2024 awards, which are run annually by Somerset Chamber of Commerce.
The 2024 shortlisted nominees come from all corners of the county, including Bridgwater, Merriott, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Highbridge, West Pennard, Blackford, Norton Fitzwarren, Roadwater, Mark, Wellington, Langport, Yeovil, Midsomer Norton, Shepton Mallet, Minehead, Frome, Curry Rivel, Stoke St Michael, Wells, Bleadon, Burrowbridge, Crewkerne, Glastonbury and Watchet. 
This year is the 19th anniversary of the awards, which are again supported by main sponsor Albert Goodman. The grand final will be hosted by Global broadcast journalist Cormac MacMahon at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, in Weston-super-Mare, on March 22, 2024.
The finalists will be announced at the beginning of February, following visits by the judges.
Somerset Chamber Chief Executive, Emma Rawlings, thanked everyone who had entered the awards and said the most hotly contested categories had included Service Excellence, Small Business of the Year and Employer of the Year.
She added: “It was great to see so many entries from both Chamber members and non-members from all corners of the county, representing a wide range of sectors and industries.
“In fact, there were so many high-quality entries this year, some of the categories have a record number of shortlisted entrants!
“I am really looking forward to the final as it always a great opportunity to celebrate the successes and achievements of Somerset’s many incredible businesses and organisations.”
The shortlisted companies, charities, individuals and organisations are:
Small Business of the Year (turnover up to £0.5 million) sponsored by Gather Technology Ltd
Alpha Housing Services Limited, Taunton
ARK at Egwood CIC, Merriott
Fit Food Tasty, Bridgwater
Little Kickers (North and Mid Somerset), Weston-super-Mare
Sonder Digital, Taunton
Talking Stick Digital, Bridgwater
The Digital Cogs, Highbridge
The Social Lemon, Weston-super-Mare
Medium Business of the Year (turnover up to £6 million) sponsored by Higos Insurance Services
Clarkson and Woods Limited, Blackford
Container Team Ltd, Weston-super-Mare
Elliott Environmental Services Ltd, Yeovil
Family Adventures Group, Bridgwater
Filbert’s Fine Foods Ltd, West Pennard
Netitude Ltd, Frome
Large Business of the Year (turnover over £6 million) sponsored by Stephens Scown
Bridgwater & Taunton College, Bridgwater
Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton
Somerset Passenger Solutions, Bridgwater
Synertec, Wellington
Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities, Bridgwater
Albert Goodman Family Business of the Year Award
Container Team Ltd, Weston-super-Mare
Hippychick Ltd, Bridgwater
Mark One Consultants, Yeovil
Melhuish and Saunders, Glastonbury
Summerfield Developments, Taunton
The Ascot Group, Weston-super-Mare
Walker and Ling, Weston-super-Mare
Best Use of Digital Technology Award sponsored by Teapot Creative
Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury
Mark One Consultants, Yeovil
Presona UK Ltd, Bridgwater
Somerset County Cricket Club, Taunton
Somerset Passenger Solutions, Bridgwater
Charity of the Year Award sponsored by Clarke Willmott
bibic, Langport
It’s in the Bag Cancer Support, North Somerset
St Margaret’s Hospice Care, Taunton
SWALLOW Charity, Midsomer Norton
The Henhayes Centre, Crewkerne
The Royal Bath & West of England Society, Shepton Mallet
Employer of the Year sponsored by Blossom HR
Lendology CIC, Taunton
Netitude Ltd, Frome
Poolbridge Accountancy Limited, Highbridge
Singer Instruments, Roadwater
Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities, Bridgwater
WPA, Taunton
Investing in Somerset Award sponsored by Hinkley Point C
Battens Solicitors, Yeovil
Bridgwater & Taunton College, Bridgwater
Somerset Automotive, Watchet
The Ascot Group, Weston-super-Mare
Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities Ltd, Bridgwater
Start-up of the Year Award sponsored by Westcotts
Eating Disorder Recovery Ltd, Bridgwater
Milton and Chambers, Wellington
Our Precious Earth, Minehead
Serenity Women’s Clinic, Taunton
The Cancer Screening Trust, Yeovil
The Giftie Company Ltd, Norton Fitzwarren
Wessex Pop-Up Coldrooms Ltd, Curry Rivel
Apprentice of the Year Award sponsored by Weston College
Lendology CIC – Jack Parnell, Taunton
Poolbridge Accountancy Limited – Chloe Smith, Highbridge
Poolbridge Accountancy Limited – Lakiesha Baker, Highbridge
SBA CIC – Natasha Margetts, Langport
Somerset Automotive – Luke Cardwell, Watchet
Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities – Ryan Jones, Bridgwater
Environmental and Sustainability Award sponsored by Gravity
Balanced Energy Ltd, Bridgwater
Cookswood Development – Lomax Design and Build, Stoke St Michael
Green Sense Events Ltd, Wells
Lendology CIC, Taunton
Riverside Holiday Village, Bleadon
RocketGro Peat-Free Composts, Bridgwater
Somerlap Forest Products Ltd, Mark
West Country Drainage Services Ltd, Burrowbridge
Zebra EM, Taunton
Service Excellence Award sponsored by Porter Dodson
Alpha Housing Services Limited, Taunton
Container Team Ltd, Weston-super-Mare
Family Adventures Group, Bridgwater
Jays Logistics (South West) Ltd, Highbridge
Nest GI, Weston-super-Mare
Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton
Talking Stick Digital, Bridgwater
The Royal Bath & West of England Society, Shepton Mallet
West Country Drainage Services Ltd, Burrowbridge
Manufacturing and Engineering Award sponsored by Leonardo UK
Electrified Automation, Bridgwater
Presona UK Ltd, Bridgwater
Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton
Teklagraf Ltd, Weston-super-Mare
Business Resilience and Growth Award sponsored by Barclays UK
ARK at Egwood CIC, Merriott
Family Adventures Group, Bridgwater
Purplex Marketing, Weston-super-Mare
Somerset Passenger Solutions, Bridgwater
The Middlewick, Glastonbury
The Somerset Business Awards 2024 media sponsors are Newsquest and the Somerset County Gazette Series and Global.
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