Major award for ‘exceptional’ Les

The new accolade recognises an “exceptional personal contribution to the county” in the eyes of judges at the Rising Stars Bedfordshire and Luton Business Excellence Awards.

In receiving his trophy and certificate from Bedford and Kempston MP Richard Fuller in the county town on Thursday, Professor Ebdon said: “I wish my parents were still alive to see this. My father would have been so proud, and my mother might have believed you!

“It is an immense pleasure and privilege” but he added that he was only part of a great team and followed in the footsteps of great people. He said: “There is a quotation by Sir Isaac Newton on the £2 coin which says ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’. If I have achieved more then it is because I have stood on the shoulders of the giants who went before me.” And he added: “Not by trampling over them!”

A Luton entrepreneur who has raised millions of pounds for charity was also among the big winners at the Rising Stars awards.

Mohammed Nadeem, of Nadeem Property Services, won the Entrepreneur of the Year accolade, sponsored by Nisa Local, at the Bedfordshire and Luton Business Excellence Awards. He started out as a child trading mangoes and now has a portfolio of Luton-based businesses valued at more than £5million.

Explaining his own brand of entrepreneurial skill he said: “It’s not about raising as much money as you can, it’s about helping others. We raised £250,000 for flood relief in Pakistan on just one night. I look to help others make a success in their own businesses.”

Company director Jo Wallis, of Totternhoe-based Warnerbus Minibus Solutions was highly commended in the entrepreneur of the year category. Her company, based in Castle Hill Road in the village near Dunstable, has changed the way it works in the face of public sector cuts and picked up the customer care excellence accolade, sponsored by accountants and business advisors Keens Shay Keens.

Jo said the company, which adapts minibuses for organisations including charities, had been vulnerable to cuts made to the budgets of its customers. But Jo said: “We have had to look at what we do and offer more value. We are absolutely thrilled and delighted about the awards. We have dedicated the last two years to improving our service to customers.”

The company calls its customer care campaign Driving Quality and although it is hard work, it has resulted in more business for the village-based firm.

Warnerbus was also highly commended in the small/medium sized business of the year category on the night organised for the 18th year by Premier Newspapers.

> A Dunstable-based butcher’s shop, appropriately called The Butcher’s, in Lowther Road, won the category new business of the year, sponsored by Premier Newspapers.

Owner Dave Woods said: “The way the whole year has gone has been great. People make a great business and we pride ourselves on good quality products and great customer service.” He added that the community has supported the relatively new shop despite competition from supermarkets because people realised they could get quality food at about the same price from independents.

> The Apprentice of the Year title, sponsored by Bedford College, went to Zakar Hussain, of Wates Construction/ Building Schools for the Future National Skills Academy, in Luton. Amber-Louise Hartley, of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management in Lower Woodside, near Luton, was highly commended.

Zakar, who lives in the Farley Hill area of the town, said his apprenticeship had given him a chance to move into a construction career and an opportunity he may not have had otherwise. “I might still be going to college instead of becoming a section manager.”

The awards were judged by retail industry expert Don Gillett, Central Bedfordshire College vice chairman Paula Grayson and Charles Little, director of chartered accountants and business advisors Keens Shay Keens Limited.

> Star spot: The East Anglian Air Ambulance benefited to the tune of £1,422 on the night, £675 of that from the auctioning of a bicycle rode into the awards hall by GMTV’s Daybreak programme chief correspondent and main speaker Richard Gaisford. A cheque for £1,000 was presented to EAAA by sponsor Nisa Local.

Full list of winners:

> The blue riband Company of the Year award, backed by headline sponsor Barclays, went to Bedford-based solicitors’ Woodfines, with Toybox Day Nurseries Ltd, of Biggleswade, Sandy and Stotfold being highly commended.

> The Bedford BID district improvement award, to recognise those who make an outstanding contribution to enhancing the reputation of the county town centre, went to people power organisation We Are Bedford with Victorian arcade shop Hanworth Interiors being highly commended.

> The Mansion House country house and parkland venue for weddings, corporate events and celebrations in Old Warden Park, Biggleswade, won the title of Small/Medium Sized Business of the Year, sponsored by Mayfair Financial and Mortgage Consultants Limited. Totternhoe-based Warnerbus Minibus Solutions, was highly commended.

> The Green Business Award, sponsored by Pronto Plumber, went to Pure Planet Recycling Ltd, of Bedford. Motor racing supplier Showtrax International Ltd, of Sharnbrook, was highly commended.

> Lynda Gentle, general manager of Mayfair Insurance and Mortgage Consultants, in Bedford, won the Employee of the Year accolade, sponsored by Specsavers. Gary Bilborough, manager of the Nisa Local convenience store in Toddington was highly commended.

> Luton businessman Mohammed Nadeem won the Entrepreneur of the Year accolade, sponsored by Nisa Local, with Jo Wallis, of Totternhoe-based Warnebus Minibus Solutions being highly commended.

> The Apprentice of the Year title, sponsored by Bedford College, went to Zakar Hussain, of Wates Construction/ Building Schools for the Future National Skills Academy, in Luton. Amber-Louise Hartley, of the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management in Lower Woodside, near Luton, was highly commended.

> The Mansion House country house and parkland venue for weddings, corporate events and celebrations in Old Warden Park, Biggleswade, won the title of Small/Medium Sized Business of the Year, sponsored by Mayfair Financial and Mortgage Consultants Limited. Totternhoe-based Warnerbus Minibus Solutions, was highly commended.

> A Dunstable-based butcher’s shop, appropriately called The Butcher’s, won the category New Business of the Year, sponsored by award organisers Premier Newspapers. Emperor Blinds, of Bedford, was highly commended.

> Warnerbus Minibus Solutions, of Totternhoe, near Dunstable, shortlisted in four categories, was awarded the Customer Care Excellence title, sponsored by accountancy firm Keens Shay Keens. Houghton Trading Limited, which runs convenience stores in Houghton Regis and Toddington, was highly commended.

> The Green Business Award, sponsored by Pronto Plumber, went to Pure Planet Recycling Ltd, of Bedford. Motor racing supplier Showtrax International Ltd, of Sharnbrook, was highly commended.

> Lynda Gentle, general manager of Mayfair Insurance and Mortgage Consultants, in Bedford, won the Employee of the Year accolade, sponsored by Specsavers. Gary Bilborough, manager of the Nisa Local convenience store in Toddington was highly commended.