A BUTCHER, a hairdresser and a commercial property landlord are among the local business people celebrating reaching the finals of the county’s biggest business awards.

Representatives from local firms DJ Property of Weymouth, Blondz of Weymouth, Kingston Maurward College, R J Balson and Son of Bridport and Highlands End Holiday Park of Bridport will be gathering for a drinks reception on Monday November 18 to celebrate reaching the penultimate step in the 2013 Dorset Business Awards.

The reception will feature finalists stretching all the way from Gillingham to Weymouth and Ringwood to Bridport.

John Savage, chairman of the Dorset and South Wiltshire Local Network of the IET, said: “The aim of our network is to raise awareness of science, engineering and technology in the region.

“With several of this year’s finalists working within the engineering and technology profession, it is evident that these sectors are thriving in Dorset. We wish everyone the best of luck.”

The awards are organised by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry and are backed by the Wave 105.

The Gala Dinner Awards ceremony takes place at the Lighthouse, Poole, on Thursday November 28. To buy tickets for the awards gala dinner contact Shirley Ewart on 01202 714812. 

Finalists in this year’s Dorset Business Awards, in association with the Dorset Echo and Daily Echo, represent a range of industries, from manufacturing and retailing to hospitality and technology. They will all get together at a Sponsors and Finalists drinks reception, sponsored by the Dorset and South Wiltshire Local Network of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) at Ferndown Golf Club.

The reception will provide finalists with the opportunity to celebrate their achievements, meet award sponsors and other shortlisted finalists as well as find out about the Awards Gala Dinner.

The 2013 finalists in full Apprenticeship Training Award sponsored by Superior

Aish Technologies, Poole

Bias Technology Support Limited, Poole

Kingston Maurward College (Hospitality Department), Dorchester

Business Engagement with the Community Award, sponsored by J.P. Morgan

Blondz Hair, Weymouth Motcombe Community Shop Ltd, Shaftesbury

Winning Smiles (Gillingham) Ltd, Gillingham

Business Woman of the Year Award, sponsored by Barclays

Doris & Daisy (Maria Leese), Wimborne

Folk (Jo Cruickshanks), Poole

LoveLove Films (Georgina Hurcombe), Bournemouth

Dorset Tourism Award, co-sponsored by Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Liz Lean PR

Highlands End Holiday Park, Bridport

The Green House, Bournemouth

The Grove, Bournemouth

Entrepreneur of the Year Award, sponsored by Bournemouth University

Beales Gourmet Ltd (Tony Beales), Poole

C4L (Matt Hawkins), Poole

Ratio (Marc Biles), Bournemouth

Hays Employee of the Year Award

BOFA International Ltd (Shelagh Clyde), Poole

Christchurch & East Dorset Partnership (David Hopkins), Christchurch

Lewis Manning Hospice (Maria Tidy), Poole

KPMG & Lester Aldridge Company of the Year Award Atlas Elektronik UK Ltd, Winfrith Newburgh

Churchill Retirement Living, Ringwood

Health-On-Line, Bournemouth

Nuffield Health Excellence in Customer Service Award

Nicholas O’Hara Funeral Directors Ltd, Wimborne

Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC), Poole

The Green House, Bournemouth

Princecroft Willis Family Business Award DJ Property, Weymouth

D Stewart & Son Ltd - “Stewarts”, Christchurch RJ Balson & Son, Bridport

Retail Excellence Award, sponsored by the Dolphin Shopping Centre

Animal, Poole

Fab Frocks of Westbourne

The Body Shop, Poole

THE hospitality department at Kingston Maurward College near Dorchester has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Apprenticeship Training Award Category.

Operations manager, Darlene Reid, said: “I am delighted that we have made it to the finals.

“This is testament to the hard work of both the team supporting our apprentices during their training as well as the calibre of apprentice we have recruited this year.

“The reason we entered the Dorset Business Awards was to showcase the huge value our hospitality apprentices bring to the organisation.

“They offer fresh new ideas to the department and in return learn new skills for their future career.

“As a hospitality team, a lot of our work is behind the scenes, making sure conference and weddings here at Kingston Maurward run smoothly.”

DJ PROPERTY has been nominated for the Princecroft Willis Family Business Award.

The firm lets and manages commercial properties in Weymouth and is behind the construction of the multimillion Link Park business site.

Chief executive Mickey Jones who took over the business from his late father David, said he wants to bring home the award for south and west Dorset.

He said: “Because of the size of Poole and Bournemouth, businesses in this area are often overshadowed at county awards. My incentive for entering was to make sure that South Dorset represents itself.”

SHAUN Hennessey owner of Weymouth hair salon Blondz said it is a ‘great honour’ to be nominated for the JP Morgan Business Engagement with the Community award.

He said: “Our nomination was hopefully achieved as the judges recognised the community element that runs deep in the veins of our business.

“Blondz from its very start over 26 years ago has been committed to developing ties with the community and we have always tried to take our commitment further than the standard business role of dishing out raffle prizes.

“Over the years the Blondz name became synonymous with events such as Weymouth Carnival and teams like Weymouth Ladies Football club and countless School P.A events. “We have over the last few years, among other awards, won the Open 4 Business community responsibility award four times. So it is nice to see continuity in a business and we see this nomination as such.”

Mr Hennessey added the salon is ‘an extended family’.

BRIDPORT butcher RJ Balson & Son has been nominated for the Princecroft Willis Family Business Award.

This is the second year running that owner Richard Balson, left, has seen the 498-year-old shop, which is based in West Street, make the finals. He said: “We were in the final last year and we didn’t win so we’re hoping we’re going to go one better this time.

“We’re England’s oldest small business and on the 28th generation of family running the business.”

WINFRITH-based Atlas Electronik has been nominated in the Company of the Year award section.

Managing director Dr Antoni Mazur said: “I am enormously proud of the achievements that we as a company and a team have made.”