Sponsoring Community Group of the Year

COMMUNITY groups that provide support, fun or even a lifeline to people across Banburyshire will be recognised by Cherwell District Council in this year’s community awards.

As well as providing headline sponsorship for the project, Cherwell is sponsoring the Community Group of the Year category, and council leader Cllr Barry Wood says it is a hugely important area for recognition.

He said: “Life in Banbury and the surrounding area is more than just earning a living and having somewhere to live.

“There has to be a sense of community and belonging, and community groups are the providers of that.”

Judges from the council, including Mr Wood and new chief executive Mary Harpley, will consider how the organisations meet their objectives, the commitment of those involved and the impact the group makes on the community.

Mr Wood said: “We are not looking for a specific type of group and there are many examples of how community groups or organisations help people.

“The effort put into some groups is often huge and that’s why they need to be encouraged and nurtured. That’s the purpose of these awards.”

Cherwell District Council’s responsibilities include planning and development issues, environment, leisure, housing, benefits and council tax.

But Mr Wood said a lot of work done in our community is left to volunteers, often working to help the most vulnerable people such as children, the elderly or disabled.

“The whole of the voluntary sector is an important partner for us,” he said. “Local government has a wide range of responsibilities, but we often cannot deliver those without voluntary partnerships. That’s why we rely on community groups.”

The council sponsored the same category in last year’s awards, which was won then by Banbury Youth Homelessness Project.

Sponsoring Fairtrade Business of the Year category

SAINSBURY’S in Oxford Road, Banbury, is sponsoring the Fairtrade Business of the Year category.

It was an obvious category to choose for the supermarket which has had a close involvement with Fairtrade.

Duty manager Wayne Lloyd said: “Sainsbury’s has had various promotions about Fairtrade and has pushed hard to support it. We have between 200 and 300 lines of Fairtrade products in this store alone and more throughout the company. It is close to our hearts and we are happy to have our name associated with the community awards.

“We are in full support of helping the town and recognising local people. Sainsbury’s is not just a business but a part of the community.”

Representatives from the supermarket will judge the category and will be looking for a commitment to using or selling Fairtrade goods within a company.

Mr Lloyd said: “People are becoming more and more concerned about supporting Third World producers. It is only fair that we pay the right amount for goods and help combat exploitation.”

Sainsbury’s is also involved in various other community projects. Recently the store donated a hamper of fruit to Queensway Primary School to help promote its healthy eating week and in the coming weeks the store will be handing out cheques to local schools that supported an ‘Active Kids’ campaign.

Senior members of staff also battled the bulge as part of a sponsored weight loss to raise money for Katharine House Hospice.

More than 33,000 customers a week visit the Banbury store, with numbers growing all the time. The average weekly turnover is £900,000 which amounts to more than £65 million per year.

Mr Lloyd said: “Customers who don’t know us are now coming here and receiving excellent service which they appreciate and it helps to make sure they keep coming back.”

To contact Sainsbury’s in Banbury call the store on 01295 275130 or visit the company website on www.sainsburys.co.uk

Sponsoring Fundraiser of the Year category

A FIRST-time sponsor of the Banbury Guardian Community Awards is celebrating with the announcement that it is to open a third office in the town.

Solicitors’ firm Spratt Endicott has two offices, in South Bar Street and Horse Fair in Banbury.

But due to an expansion in the business, the company is now preparing to open a third office, again in South Bar Street.

Business development manager Bryan Pacey said: “The company is growing quite rapidly and the new office reflects the expansion of the business. All of our property department will be moving into the new premises.”

The company is sponsoring our Fundraiser of the Year category because it says it reflects the attitude of the business and is something staff can relate to.

Mr Pacey said: “We’re happy to support the efforts of local people and always have been. As a firm we’re heavily involved in sponsoring various events and charities and we do a lot of fundraising internally. We raise a lot of money each year and felt this category was right for us and best reflected the way we think as a company.

“People who are going out of their way to do things for others deserve to be publicly recognised. We will be judging people more on their effort rather than the amount of money they have raised. It’s about a whole range of things that motivate them, such as determination, perseverance and commitment.”

Spratt Endicott has had solicitors in Banbury since 1959, offering legal advice for both businesses and individuals. It demerged from a former company in 2002 to form Spratt Endicott.

It is now the largest firm of solicitors in north Oxfordshire employing more than 100 people in the town, of which more than 50 are lawyers.

Mr Pacey said: “All of our lawyers are specialists in a particular area and only work in that field. It means that all of our clients get to speak to someone with specialist knowledge.”

For more information on Spratt Endicott, visit www.sprattendicott.co.uk or call 01295 204000

Sponsoring Trainee of the Year category

A SUCCESSFUL innovation centre will be looking for strength of character when it judges Trainee of the Year nominations.

The Colin Sanders Innovation Centre, which provides office premises for software, IT, knowledge-based and creative businesses, is sponsoring the category for the second year running.

Centre manager Lillian Bannister said trainees were an important part of life in Banbury.

She said: “We need people to continue to develop themselves in order to succeed as a community and we need people with skills to lead the community in the many challenges we face.

“Training means the workplace as a whole can benefit from increased productivity, improved staff morale and motivation. Employees benefit from greater job satisfaction and better career opportunities and staff retention levels improve.”

The centre, in Mewburn Road, is run by Oxford Innovation which runs 12 similar centres across the south east.

Innovation centres differ to business centres in that they provide for small companies in a supportive environment, with the aim of increasing business growth.

The centre in Banbury is home to the Oxfordshire Business Enterprise and Business Link Solutions, which both help start-up businesses with information, advice, guidance and enterprise days.

Mrs Bannister said involvement in the awards has improved the company’s recognition in the area.

She said: “We are proud to be involved with the awards again and we like to participate in the town’s activities. This year gives us another opportunity to contribute to a community we are proud to be part of.”

The Colin Sanders Innovation Centre is named after the famous local inventor and entrepreneur. For more information contact Mrs Bannister on 01295 817600 or visit www.oxin.co.uk/colinsanders

Sponsoring Business Community Project of the Year

A COMPANY with a strong entrepreneurial spirit is looking for like-minded groups and individuals to honour.

Bartercard is the largest and fastest growing barter network in the world and Brian Whitford, owner of the Banbury franchise, has decided to sponsor the Business Community Project category in the Banbury Guardian Community Awards.

“It's always good to recognise individuals and groups of people who put something back into the community. I genuinely think that side of things is something all businesses should be involved with which is why I wanted to sponsor a category,” he said.

“This particular category links very well with what I believe in and also the entrepreneurial nature of my business.”

Bartercard acts as a middleman for different types of business to trade goods and services and its member directory covers the whole range of industry from restaurants, florists and garages to dentists, lawyers and Premiership football clubs.

If a member company needs goods or services it contacts Bartercard who then finds another member business which will supply them. Members trade through Bartercard accounts which are credited or debited (depending on whether they are giving or receiving goods/services) so removing the need for both companies involved to exchange services with each other.

Bartercard makes money by charging for each account transaction.

Set up 15 years ago, it now has more than 130 offices in 17 different countries with a total of 75,000 member businesses. The UK boasts 15 offices with 5,000 members.

Mr Whitford and his son set up the Banbury franchise, which is based in Greatworth, in October 2004. It covers Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. They now employ a team of ten staff.

Mr Whitford said: “Bartering is the oldest and most creative form of trade in the world but the old fashioned problem was it was usually limited to one-to-one needs; with Bartercard this problem is overcome.

“When we started in October the region we covered had 80 members. After a lot of hard work and networking we've grown to having 465.

“In judging the Business Community Project category I'll be looking for creativity and innovation, and also the amount of benefit the project brings to the community as a whole.

“Obviously I'll be choosing a winner but all the people who get nominated must be doing something really good; I don't think people get enough recognition these days for community work.”

Sponsoring Volunteer Worker of the Year and Junior Sportsperson

A NEW recruitment agency is sponsoring two categories in The Banbury Guardian Community Awards.

Frontier People based in North Bar, Banbury, is judging Volunteer Worker of the Year and Junior Sportsperson of the Year awards and the company's managing director, Mark Perrett, says it is pleased to be giving something back.

“Both the awards mark individual achievement and they give the same message we try and give to people on our company website, that you can be anything you want to be,” he said.

“We like to think we are an agency that gives things back to our clients and candidates and the wider community. Like volunteers, we are in a position to help people and it's nice to be able to do that.”

The Volunteer category seeks to reward the usually unsung heroes who make a special contribution to quality of life for people in and around Banbury.

The junior sportsperson category is all about those who have made a great contribution, and who are promising a bright future in their chosen sport.

“Sportsperson is a chance for people to demonstrate what they can do outside of work,” Mr Perrett said.

Frontier People is part of Frontier Field Marketing which has been operating in Banbury since 2000 and moved to the North Bar site two years ago. It was set up four weeks ago and deals with a large range of businesses and employees.

Mr Perrett said: “We are set apart from other recruitment agencies because of the time we spend with each individual candidate and client

“Our specialism is in the detailed service we give to them, rather than having a specialism in one employment area.We have launched a website and are aiming to get candidates to register on that.

“Instead of having a traditional shop front where you are in the embarrassing situation of sitting in the shop window as you look for a job, we can meet candidates at a venue that suits them.

“It is quite a vulnerable time when you are looking for a job and in many ways people want it to be private.”

For more information about Frontier People visit www.frontierpeople.com or call in at 16 North Bar, Banbury.

Sponsoring Sportsperson of the Year

A LEADING automotive supplier will give the green light to Banbury's finest sportsperson in this year's Banbury Guardian Community Awards.

Banbury-based Summit Accessories Ltd is giving the awards its backing by putting forward its leading brands – Summit and RaceX – to sponsor the competitive Sportsperson of the Year category.

Summit Accessories is well-known in the UK as a motoring accessory and mirror specialist, with 30 years history in the automotive aftermarket.

It has been based in Banbury for more than 25 years and major customers include Halfords and Asda, as well as independent retailers nationwide.

Company shareholder Bob Cattle said his organisation felt it was vital for businesses to help sport.

“We feel it is very important to recognise the achievements of our local sports people, hence our sponsorship of the category,” said Mr Cattle, who is also a board member at Banbury United.

“Banbury has a wealth of talent in many sports and we should be proud of the many clubs and societies that exist on mainly a voluntary basis. Support from local businesses is vital for local sport and the development of our youth teams.”

Summit and RaceX both offer different types of car products.

RaceX was launched at the Autosport show in 2002 and introduced a range of exciting and innovative performance and styling products aimed at 18 to 30- year-olds. The range has continued to grow, with further plans for development already in place.

Summit offers the core products of interior mirrors and replacement mirror glasses, plus many accessories.

Mr Cattle said it was obvious to link the brands with sport.

“Because of my company's sponsorship of Banbury United and my personal involvement with the club, the two brands have been associated with sport for a number of years and that can only enhance the image,” he added.

For more information about Summit and RaceX visit the websites www.summit-auto.com and www.racex.com

The shortlist for the Sportsperson award include Banbury United captain Kieran Sullivan. Mr Cattle has asked the Banbury Guardian to judge the category because of the potential conflict of interest with his Banbury United connection.

Sponsoring Rural Project of the Year

CLEANING equipment manufacturer Karcher of Beaumont Road in Banbury has added its weight to the team of sponsors eager to celebrate the area's unsung heroes.

Merchandising and public relations events manager Russell Bristow said it was important for local companies and organisations to promote a sense of community spirit in the town.

He said: “Karcher is a local company and we try our best to support the Banbury community as much as we can. We already back events such as canal day and we put a lot of effort into bringing The Fine Lady statue to the town.

“We are sponsoring these awards because they create a sense of community and that has to be encouraged.”

The rural project category was something close to the heart at Karcher because it is very much an environmental company.

Judges were looking at the level of nominees' contribution to the community, and the impact their efforts will have on future generations.

He said: “All of the nominees are very worthwhile in their own way. We have looked at how we feel they will benefit the up-and-coming community of the future.”

Karcher is the world's largest international cleaning manufacturer and supplies domestic and commercial cleaning equipment, including pressure washers. It was founded in Germany in 1936 and expanded to Banbury in 1978.

Since then the staff have been hired to clean famous monuments including the presidents' faces on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, and more recently, Nelson's Column in London.

For more information on Karcher visit www.karcher.co.uk

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