Browse Sections

• Education
• Business 
• Blog
• Special reports

Ethnic Minority Business Forum host first awards evening

20/ 3/2008

The Ethnic Minority Business Forum North West staged its first awards ceremony recognising and rewarding the huge contribution that BME individuals and businesses make to the regional economy.

The aim of the Northwest EMB Awards was to inspire and encourage more members of the BME community in the region to start-up or expand their businesses in the region.

The evening ceremony took place at the City of Manchester Stadium and was hosted by BBC 1 North West presenter, Ranvir Singh.

The winners included:

• Best New Business Start-up of the Year - Liverpool Airport Apartments.

• Best Male Entrepreneur of the Year – Riaz Ahmed, owner of Burnley bed manufacturer Sweet Dreams.

• Best Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Ilham Hamood who runs Liverpool based Ilham Hamood Photography.

• Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Amarron Frederick, who set up Game Set and Match, a company which takes social gaming and competition to shopping centres and high streets.

• Best Exporter of the Year Award – Icon Designs, a Lancashire based bed and mattress manufacturer which supplies over 800 retail outlets through the country and exports to Ireland and Europe.

• Best Social Enterprise of the Year Award – GHS Enterprise Ltd, a social enterprise based in Preston which serves the local community through providing sport and recreational facilities, education, social services and a cultural base.

• Best Northwest Business of the Year Award – Wing Yip, a family run Chinese and Oriental food supplier with superstores located in Manchester, Birmingham, Cricklewood and Croydon.

Said chief executive of the North West Development Agency, Steven Broomhead: "The cultural diversity of the Northwest is a key asset and these awards recognised the excellent work of the very best BME businesses in the Northwest.

"The delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy requires that we remove the barriers to economic participation for everyone to ensure the Northwest economy can grow to its full potential.  We hope these awards will go someway to encouraging others to set up or expand businesses in the region."

The EMBF was set up in January 2005 and provides strategic leadership and strategic policy advice to the NWDA and other key regional decision makers and stakeholders in order to empower BME businesses to maximise their full potential for the benefit of the region’s economy.