Here’s who the winners of the NWN Best in Business Awards 2025 were
The glitz and glamour of awards night came to Newbury as we hosted the glittering NWN Best in Business Awards 2025.
The black tie gala ceremony took place on Friday evening, at Newbury Racecourse and was hosted by Bargain Hunt TV star Thomas Forrester, who owns the Newbury-based Special Auction Services (SAS).
More than 250 guests enjoyed a three-course meal, a fundraising true or false game, fantastic musical entertainment by the young stars of local singing group Vox Fresh and a silent auction.
There were then 13 awards given out to a host of very worthy winners.
The awards celebrates all that is good about West Berkshire and North Hampshire businesses, charities and clubs.
There were 12 individual categories and the winners from each went head to head for the top prize of the evening – the NWN Best in Business Awards Business of the Year 2025, sponsored by headline sponsor Apple Print & Creative.
And the big winner on the night was Newbury Soup Kitchen.
As well as being awarded the Business of the Year, it also picked up the prize for Team of the Year.
Our photographer Phil Cannings was at the event getting photos of all the winners, shortlisted businesses and their friends enjoying the evening. You can find all the photos, and purchase any you love, here.
Founder Meryl Praill said: “I genuinely didn’t expect that last award [Business of the Year]. I was really shocked and very humbled.
“It is lovely to be recognised and for the team to be recognised was great.
“It was such a lovely evening; the whole room erupted when we went up and I am always very humbled by the support we have from the community.
“The team we have is utterly amazing; they are all heroes and don’t get the recognition they deserve. Like Julie and Jane who are in our kitchen; they do so much that people don’t see.
“It is an incredible team and they are really dedicated and it does make a difference.”
She added that demand for food and for outreach support were both up and said the charity has just employed another part-time outreach worker to work specifically with women.
They have 55 volunteers but desperately need more, especially for the weekends. If you would like to find out more about volunteering with Newbury Soup Kitchen you can take a look at their website or email volunteer@newburysoupkitchen.org.uk
The other big winner on the night was Digitall. Not only did it pick up the Charity of the Year award, but it also received more than £1,000 in cash donations on the night and will be presented with the profits from the evening’s silent auction, which are currently still being counted.
Derek Peaple, chair of trustees for Digitall, said: “This incredible charity is still in its infancy and in the context of what was announced this evening, about the relevance to the futures of young people and the skills and the understanding that they need to be self-sufficient, independent but also team-working young people, working in the digital environment where they need to be safe and active, this is a wonderful reflection and we’re very, very grateful for everybody that’s supporting what we’re doing.
“It is wonderful to be recognised this evening in so many different ways.
“This is a charity that is rooted in the local community but is having reach more broadly but to be able to showcase the work that is happening in this local area as an example of very best practice means that we can focus even more attention on how vibrant this community is; how it’s at the forefront of digital learning, digital skills.
“It’s really special and we’re so grateful to everybody concerned for this award.”
The John Hampson Award, which is given in memory of our colleague, who was fundamental in creating the business awards. It is given to an organisation that is doing something special within the community to support young people.
This year the award, which was presented on the night by John’s wife Helen, was won by Code Ninjas.
Marcus Brind, director, said: “We're beyond excited and grateful for winning the John Hampson Award! It’s a special honour, one that’s very close to our hearts here at Code Ninjas.
“We’re proud to be able to give back to the Newbury community and serve as a stepping stone for future generations.
“Thank you for recognising our efforts, and we look forward to making even more positive impacts together."
The award for Best Professional Services (sponsored by Heritage Estate Planning) went to Fusion Group, which was founded by Dave Whittingham in West Mills, Newbury in 2007.
Mr Whittingham said it had been a “really great evening”.
“I was quite humbled,” he added. “It was the first time we’d entered the awards and it was amazing to get the recognition. It was a pleasant surprise.
“It’s such good recognition. Newbury as a community is quite close to our hearts. It’s one of our key pillars. We help organise the ale festival, we’ve got lots of local clients, and we sponsor various sports team.
“So to get that sort of recognition from our home town was very humbling; it was amazing.
“Thanks very much to the Newbury Weekly News and to the judges.”
The Berkshire Vet picked up the Best Customer Experience award (sponsored by Jones Robinson).
The independent practice opened on Greenham Business Park in March last year.
Naomi Murdock, a director of the company and one of the five vets who set up The Berkshire Vet, said: “We're absolutely thrilled to be recognised for the high standard of customer care that we provide.
“Creating a veterinary experience that was great for everyone (both two legged and four) is something that is core to our values as a team and to be recognised for that within our first year of business is a great success.
“A huge thank you to all our wonderful clients for their continued support."
Simon Bowden, chair of Newbury Velo Cycling and Triathlon Club, which won Best Sports Club (sponsored by Newbury Racecourse), said they represented “much more than a normal cycling club”.
“We work with blind cyclists on the back of tandems and we’re now a British Cycling Limitless Club, working with disabled cyclists,” he added.
“We coach kids from the age of three to 12 and we have coached an 80-year-old man who had never cycled before.
“Anything on two wheels, we love it! This is a huge, huge thing for us and it makes us so proud.
“It’s down to the committee, who deliver the activities we do across our spectrum of cycling, and all the volunteers and tandem pilots who arrange our cycling activities so our nearly 300 members can enjoy cycling.”
Tracy James Hearing Ltd picked up the Best Independent Retailer award (sponsored by Special Auction Services).
“It’s fantastic that I’ve been awarded Best Independent Retailer,” said Tracy James. “Being independent is what I’m all about.
“I don’t want to be honed in on certain manufacturers, because I want to give people choice.
“It’s based on health, it’s based on care needs. It’s about giving people the best health care I can and I’m really, really pleased and it’s fantastic we’ve been awarded this.
“Thank you so much to the Newbury Weekly News and the Best in Business Awards.”
Broadmead Residential Home, in Woolton Hill, scooped two awards – one for the second year in a row – with Best Business Innovation (sponsored by Parkway Shopping) and Employer of the Year (sponsored by West Berkshire Training Consortium).
At the event home manager Stephanie Read and deputy manager, Trudy Farley, told this newspaper: “It means so much. It’s the second year we’ve won this award so we’re so pleased.
“We were up against tough contestants so we’re so shocked.
“To be recognised for what you do, what your values are and to be recognised amongst your peers and be valued is really good.
“We’re doing something right. We’re happy that we won it again this year and we continue to push forward now.”
Russell Downing, from Fidelity Energy, said it felt great to be recognised with the award for Best Green Business.
“These awards are all about recognising local businesses that do amazing things for the local community and to be part of the Green Award is fantastic,” he added.
“Fidelity is a local business, championing other local businesses. We’re all about procurement, about green energy, about saving as much energy as we can for customers, but most of all it’s really about getting the best policies and the practices for local businesses.”
Melissa Richards, set up Newbury company Buick Mackane four years ago, to offer shared, flexible working space in the town and to bring the community together.
It won Best New Business.
“It was very exciting. I didn’t expect to win as there were some great other businesses in there.
“I was overjoyed and very excited. It was really nice to get some recognition for doing a good job because I set up the business on my own, I run the business on my own, so it’s hard when it’s just you and nobody else to talk to.
“You generally are hearing when things aren’t going right, so this is lovely.”
The Corn Exchange (Newbury) Trust was crowned Best Town Centre (BID) Business (sponsored by Newbury BID).
Ruth Stillman, from the Corn Exchange, said: “We were absolutely delighted to have won the Best Town Centre (BID) Business Award at this year’s Best In Business Awards.
“As an organisation that puts our community at the heart of everything we do, this recognition really means a great deal to us.”
Our photographer Phil Cannings was at the event getting photos of all the winners, shortlisted businesses and their friends enjoying the evening. You can find all the photos, and purchase any you love, here - https://newburyweeklynews.zenfolio.com/p597325361
