A number of local businesses, individuals and organisations took the glory at this year’s Powys Business Awards.
Last year’s overall Powys Business of the Year, Cellpath of Newtown, retained the Innovation/New Product Development Award, while a design studio assistant based at Llanbrynmair too the Outstanding Apprentice Award and Newtown charity Rekindle Small Steps scooped the Social Enterprise/Charity Award.
The awards were held at Hafren in Newtown on Friday night.
Dr Neil Haine, CellPath’s research and development manager, thanked the company’s directors and the Welsh Government for investing in a new research and development laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment.
“This award is a reward for a lot of hard work that the R and D team and everyone at CellPath has put in,” he said. “We are launching 20 new products at an exhibition on Monday and there are a lot more in the pipeline.”
The company, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year, specialises in the manufacture and supply of histology and cytology products. The two products entered for the awards were the TruSlice specimen grossing system and the Supa Mega Mothership Cassette, which offers an innovative solution to large specimen cancer diagnosis.
Marisa Buckley-Robins, who works for Anderson Apparel Ltd, Llanbrynmair collected the award, sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses, at the annual awards dinner held at Hafren, Newtown on Friday,
Marisa was one of the first apprentices in Wales to complete the pilot Foundation Apprenticeship in Fashion and Textiles, run in partnership with Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen. She is now looking forward to progressing her Apprenticeship next March and will mentor a new apprentice who has joined the business.
“It’s a great honour to win this award, which is a huge surprise,” said Marisa, who was accompanied to the award by her parents and boyfriend. “Hopefully, it might encourage NPTC Group to run a fashion and textiles course in Newtown in the future, as I currently have to travel to Carmarthen.”
She began her journey into the fashion and textiles industry at Laura Ashley’ Texplan factory in Newtown, where she made curtains for two and half years, before securing the Apprenticeship at Anderson Apparel Ltd.
Rekindle Small Steps, Newtown won the Social Enterprise/Charity Award, sponsored by Mid Wales Housing Association Ltd, at the annual awards dinner held at Hafren, Newtown on Friday.
Project co-ordinator Diane Williams and recovery practitioner Kemal Keeble received the award on behalf of the charity and said they hoped it would help to raise awareness of the work being undertaken in the community and to attract for funding.
The charity currently has two support workers who have about 60 active clients at any one time and need to raise an additional £22,275 to employ one more.
“We feel honoured to win this award, which is acknowledgement of the work that we do and the people that we help,” said Kemal. “It’s great recognition because the project has only been running for just over a year.”
Diane revealed that the charity’s workload was increasing all the time because statutory mental health services were at full capacity and unable to take any more referrals.
Caption: Research and development manager Dr Neil Haine receives the award from David Rowlands of Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd watched by staff from CellPath.