Ashgate Hospicecare named Business of the Year as county's top companies honoured at the Derbyshire Times Business Awards

The awards were held at Chesterfield College and hosted by Dronfield entrepreneur Jessica Cunningham, star of TV show The Apprentice.

It is the 10th year that the Derbyshire Times has held our Business Awards, recognising the very best of the area’s commerce, trade and industry.

Outstanding firms and the businessmen and women that run them honoured in 14 different categories.

Our winners were:

The Innovation Award, Sponsored by Middleton Structures Ltd

Winner: Auto Windscreen

Highly commended: Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust and MOTUS Women Entrepreneurs Network.

People Development Award

Winner: A-RockConstruction

Community Contribution Award, Sponsored by Blachford UK

Winner: Less Than Zero Barbers

Highly commended: Chameleon School of Construction

Customer Service Award, Sponsored by Heath Clark

Winner: S44 Travel

Highly commended: Less Than Zero Barbers and Pinewood Properties

Apprentice of the Year, Sponsored by Learning Unlimited

Winner: Jenna- Leigh Bates of Recruit 2 You Ltd

Highly commended: Declan Pike of Palamatic and Deborah Downes of Van Dyk by Wildes

Independent Retailer of the Year, Sponsored by Banner Jones Solicitors

Winner: Itsy Bitsy Boutique

Lifestyle and Leisure Awards

Winner: Stephensons Tea and Coffee House

Highly commended: Morley Hayes.

New Business of the Year, sponsored by the Mitchells Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers

Winner: Revilo Images

Highly commended: Edwards Employment Solutions Ltd and White Peak Distillery

Professional Services

Winner: Shorts CharteredAccountants

Highly Commended: Pinewood Properties

Small Business of the Year Sponsored by Arnold Clark

Winner: Emerald Accountancy Services Ltd

Highly commended: Inspire Design and Development, Paperclip and Sanitaryware Supplies Company Ltd.

The Excellence in Manufacturing Award

Sponsored by the Shorts Chartered Accountants

Winner: BG Engineering

Charity of the Year award

Winner: Ashgate Hospicecare

Mitchells Anniversary Award

Winner: Sanitaryware Supplies Company Ltd

Business Person of the Year award

Winner: Rupert Armitage of Auto Windscreens

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Jillian Thomas of Future Life Wealth Management

2018 Business of the Year Sponsored by BHP Chartered Accountants

Winner: Ashgate Hospicecare

Derbyshire Times Editor Phil Bramley said: “The awards night was a great celebration of some of the out-standing business we have in our local community.

“It was especially moving to see the standing ovation which Jillian Thomas received as she collected her Lifetime Achievement award and as she spoke powerfully about how being caught up in the Boxing Day Tsunami while on holiday in Thailand changed her life forever.

“The judges had no hesitation in naming Ashgate Hospicecare as our overall Business of the Year 2018 and there can surely be no more deserving recipient.

“It was especially fitting that they received the award in the year they mark 30 years of providing vital end-of-life care to people across north Derbyshire.”