Thank you to everyone that joined us last week at the C2S Awards Shortlist Evening at John Lewis – what a superb evening!
We had over 200 businesspeople attend to celebrate the C2S Awards and their success on being shortlisted for the C2S Awards 2024.
We heard from Colin Beard and Josh Isaacs Founders of Prosperity Care and Wellbeing, winners of the C2S Awards 2023, Michael Newnham, Director of Quantum R&D Tax as sponsors of the C2S for the last 2 years and from Denise Crosswaite, Branch Lead at Cheltenham John Lewis on the success of the Cheltenham store and how John Lewis & Partners are staying relevant on the High Street and looking at new innovative ideas for the future.
Colin Beard & Josh Isaacs – Founders of Prosperity Care and Wellbeing.
“Good evening everyone. It’s so lovely, but also a little scary to see so many people here at this event to celebrate the 2024 C2S Business Awards.”
“We have been invited here today as proud winners of the 2023 culture and diversity award and have been asked to share a few words about the impact that this award has provided for our organisation. For those of you who don’t know us, Prosperity Care and Wellbeing was launched in 2020 at the crest of the pandemic. Through the times of uncertainty, we like so many businesses were forced to think about things differently as so many doors were closed and we had to be creative and reevaluate what our customers and potential employees needed in this ‘new world’.
“Being a member of circle 2 success has really helped to steer the ship, providing opportunities to network and benefit from the services provided by local Gloucestershire businesses. Without exaggeration, we have come away from every networking event with a new contact to enhance the business, weather that be vehicle leasing, HR support, legal advice or marketing. We like to support local businesses where ever possible and attribute some of the success and growth of the business to these valuable partnerships. In 2023 we were so pleased to become a finalist for the growth award and are keeping our fingers crossed as entrants in the growth category again this year. A big thanks must go to Suzanne and Angela and their team for continually looking at new ways of recognising the hard work of businesses in the area and encouraging collaboration.”
“We were delighted to enter last year to use the opportunity to celebrate with our team and all that we have achieved in our business.. In just a few short years we have built a strong business that we are so very proud of, but it would be nothing without our staff. To win the C2S Culture & Diversity Award last year was a huge achievement and recognition to us and our team that we are doing great things. It not only elevated our brand, service, and sector it also inspired our team and gave them the recognition they deserve.”
“As care providers we have a responsibility to run an ethical business with a positive culture that embraces inclusivity and diversity. Unfortunately the care sector receives a lot of bad press, is grossly underfunded and there simply aren’t enough care workers to go round. Recruitment in the care sector can be extremely difficult, with many organisations struggling due to the national shortage of care workers. With a great deal of effort we are proud to have bucked this trend. We have achieved this by investing in the wellbeing of our staff and striving to be one of the best places to work. Workplace culture isn’t just a catchphrase or something that is discussed at team meetings – it runs from the top and fostering an environment where people can thrive, speak up, and have a meaningful impact on the business they are a part of. The results of our employee engagement questionnaires clearly indicate that one of the main benefits of working for prosperity care and wellbeing is our staff feel valued, listened to, able to bring their whole selves to work, that the management team show interest in them as a whole person, that they are treated fairly and given opportunities to become true decision makers.. the team often come up with the best ideas.”
“We recognise that people come to work to get paid, but when people are seeking employment they are now looking for much more. We proudly shout it from the rooftops that we have won an award for Culture and Diversity and in turn this has significantly enhanced our recruitment and retention rates. We still feel the imposter syndrome creeping in whilst we are in the present of business giants, but if we can do it, you can too! As the friendly competition hots up, we look forward to getting to know you all a little better and we wish you every success in the awards this year. Our message would be keep entering awards as it has such a positive impact on your business, there can only be one winner but being part of these awards adds so much value to a business. A shout out to our team here tonight and thank you for all your hard work! Good luck to all those shortlisted!”
Michael Newnham – Quantum R & D Tax
“As a sponsor of the Change and Innovation award for the second year running, we are delighted to be here tonight amongst so many inspiring, thriving, organisations. “
“Having worked all my life in R&D, I’m obsessed with Innovation,
and having been permanently on a diet, I am obsessed with change.
So it felt very fitting to be sponsoring the Change Management and Innovation category. When it comes to Change and Innovation there are a couple of quotes that have stayed with me over the years. I feel they capture the essence of Change and innovation”
The first is from the writer HeatherAsh Amara, who wrote Warrior Goddess Training:
“Change is inevitable. Transformation is intentional”
“For me that is the heart of change management – change is going to happen anyway, but if we have a vision of where we want to take our businesses, and how we want to impact our communities, then we have an opportunity to transform.”
The second quote is from Mahatma Ghandi (always good for a quote): –
“The Future depends on what we do in the present”
“That is both scary, and empowering at the same time. If any of you have read the excellent “Where Good Ideas Come From’ by Stephen Johnson, you will know that Innovation happens where diverse people come together and meet, and have chance, unexpected, conversations. That is exactly the opportunity that C2S has created for us here tonight. So I would encourage you all to mingle and say hi to someone you don’t know, and just see where the conversation takes you. It’s not always easy and I’m particularly bad at it myself, but you never know where a chance conversation could take you. It could be the start of a new business or a joint venture or a new product or service.
So I’d like to close by saying thank you to C2S for all of their hard work in creating these Business Awards – they are important and provide the opportunity to celebrate success and inspire others. It’s an opportunity for businesses in the South West to come together and get to know each other, and we will all be the stronger for it.
I’d just like to close by saying I feel privileged to be reading all your entries. Last year’s entries were amazing and it was very difficult to choose between them.
So enjoy the rest of the evening, and remember – Be the change you want to see in the world.”
For those of you that are interested in the Personal Styling Service please email the styling team on – personalstyling.cheltenham@johnlewis.co.uk to express interest in an appointment and then a stylist can call back directly, or appointments can be booked online on JohnLewis.com.
We will be sending out new social media banners to all shortlisted companies for use on social media platforms and running a C2S campaign acknowledging all entrants that confirmed they are happy for us to promote their entries.
Please check out the photos from the night: https://www.circle2success.com/photo-gallery/?album=80839&album_ses=1#aigpl-album-gallery-1 and feel free to use them in your newsletters and social media.
The judging packs have now been sent out to the judges and they will commence the huge task of reading through all the entries, for all the categories.
Good Luck to you all!
If you would like to attend the C2S Awards evening on 12th July, don’t leave it too late to order your tickets as the event sold out early last year!
Book your tickets here: https://www.circle2success.com/events/c2s-regional-business-awards-2024/
If anyone is interested in having an interpreter at their events, please contact: Sally Gillespie sally.gillespie@gda.org.uk at Gloucestershire Deaf Association.
Reminder of the Laithwaites Special Offer
As sponsors of this year’s C2S Awards 2024 Laithwaites have kindly created a special offer for all awards entrants and C2S members – a great deal! See full details below and don’t forget to use for your wines over Easter and share with your colleagues, friends, and family!
Useful Dates for your Diary
Judging Day – 17th April 2024
Finalists Notified – Week commencing 22nd April 2024
Finalists Drinks Evening – 16th May 2024 Free to all Finalists
Knowledge Transfer Event – 18th June 2024 Free to all Finalists
C2S Regional Business Awards Evening – 12th Julys 2024 (ticket price on website : https://www.circle2success.com/events/c2s-regional-business-awards-2024/
Thank you again for joining us last week and for taking the time to enter and support the C2S Awards, we wish all entrants good luck and look forward to seeing you again very soon!
