Creme de la Creme of Cheshire honoured at business awards

Local legends were celebrated for their great work at the Creme de la Creme Cheshire Business Awards.

The event took place at Cheshire’s Cranage Hall on Friday, where businesswoman Sue France was honoured with a Most Outstanding Achievement award.

Founder of the Cheshire Club Joanna Scott-Aspray, who presented her with the silverware, said: “When I was thinking about my choice for this category this year, the choice was a pretty easy one!

“This person is a wife, a mother, a grandma. She’s also a fellow networking host; at 75 years young, this lady shows no signs of slowing down. Our paths first crossed due to Francis House Hospice. She was contributing to their fundraising years before me and then I became a patron. Our efforts were always for our beloved Kirsty Howard to help reach her target.

We’ve always had mutual respect for one another, offering the same concept just in our own very different styles; connections opportunities, events and plenty of advice but always supporting each other for many years. She is also a patron of the charity “Gift of a Wedding” and also the Butterfly Breast Cancer Awards.”

Thrilled and honoured

Sue said: “I came here to support Joanna and the Cheshire Club. Many of my business group members from Creative Connecting in Cheshire were up for awards and I wanted to cheer them on. I never dreamt there was an extra award and it was for me. I am absolutely thrilled and honoured.”

Rachael Borman at the AmaSing Arts Charity Foundation won the Overall Excellence Winner Award presented by Silk 106.9 FM Radio which was a package of business support worth in excess of £11,000.

She said: “I was shocked and thrilled to win this award as there were so many other amazing and well deserving businesses here.  I am so grateful and it will help enormously with visibility for my charity to then help so many other people.”

Crème de la Crème Small Business Awards 2023

• Outstanding Entrepreneur Award  – Amy Linton – Glossy Interiors
• Family Business of the Year – Nicola & Stephen Sands – Applehead Media Ltd
• Small Business of the Year – Laura Grannell – Stagecoach Performing Arts (Nantwich)
• Charity of the Year – Rachael Borman – AmaSing Arts Charity Foundation
• Female of the Year  – Beverley Steele – Steele PR Ltd
• Best Business Start-Up (2 years) – Teana Lynne & Andy Shelton – The Naughty Badger Bistro
• Best Customer Service – Catherine Hayden – Heavenly Homes Cleaning
• Community Champion – Sarah E Pickles – The Butterfly Breast Cancer Awards
• Outstanding Self Development & Business Growth – Alison Blackler – 2minds
• Rising Star of the Year Award – Naomi Victoria – Personally Positive
• Joanna’s Award – Most Outstanding Achievement Award –  Sue France
• Audience’s Choice – Most Outstanding & Inspiring Person Award – Lara Besbrode – The Matchmaker UK
• Overall Excellence Winner Award – Rachael Borman – AmaSing Arts Charity Foundation
• Male of the Year Award – Marcus Matthews – Make Your Life Count

Marcus, who aims to redefine mental health with his company Make your Life Count said: “Being recognised for your work is so humbling, when in 2018 as a serving police officer I found myself wanting to take my life and in 2023 being recognised as Male of the Year makes all the darkness worth it.

“Awards like this shine a light on what is possible when you put faith over fear. Now is the time to shine so others can see possibility. What I do is help people find out what they don’t know so they can create the life they didn’t know was possible, it’s simple, quick, effective and permanent”.

Amazing sponsors

Joanna Scott-Aspray CEO of The Cheshire Club said: “I’m so proud to announce this year’s winners.  The nominations, finalists and voting this year was far higher than last year and has far exceeded expectations in just two years.

“The Cheshire Club champions and mentors businesses to help towards visibility and I’m proud to say the awards are a small part of what we do to help businesses growth, their success and powerful introductions.