ACHIEVEMENTS of businesses across the district have been showcased.

Entrepreneurs, company figures and community leaders gathered for the tenth Keighley & Airedale Business Awards.

The awards ceremony – at Victoria Hall, in Keighley – was hosted by Keighley-born BBC Look North weather presenter, Paul Hudson.

Accolades were handed out across 10 categories, including a new section for 2024 – Sustainable Business of the Year.

And each category winner had the chance of taking the coveted Overall Business of the Year crown.

Haworth-based Airedale Springs won the Sustainable Business of the Year accolade and overall award.

Its chair, Tim Parkinson, spoke of his delight.

He told the Keighley News: “We’d entered the sustainability category because we’ve done a lot of work at our premises – such as the installation of extra solar panels – to make the site more energy efficient, and as a result we now have a net zero rating.

“To win the awards was a surprise, because we were up against some excellent companies, but we are delighted. It is recognition of all the hard work our team has put in to make our business extremely sustainable.”

Other winners included: New Business of the Year, sponsored by Cosurica, Coffee & Crumbs; Health & Wellbeing Business of the Year, sponsored by Hayfield Robinson, Airedale Opticians; Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Extreme Display, PoundFun; Social Enterprise of the Year, sponsored by Keighley Social Enterprise Town, Yorgreen CIC; Independent/Family Business of the Year, sponsored by AWB Charlesworth Solicitors, Spellman Care; Food & Drink Business of the Year, sponsored by Blacks Solicitors, Three Little Birds Bakery; Professional Services Business of the Year, sponsored by Keybury, Coco & Barley; Future Star of the Year, sponsored by Keighley College, Nicole Milner of Tax Assist Accountants; and Manufacturing/Engineering Business of the Year, sponsored by Rotherwood Recruitment, NSF Controls.

Special recognition awards for services to the community were presented to Oxenhope Sue Ryder hospice Manorlands and H Brook DIY.

Milner Awards – sponsored by Keighley Training Consortium – were also presented, for first-year advanced manufacturing and engineering apprentices. Winners were: special recognition, Kieran Hill and Danny Pitts; best academic performance, Lucy Durham; best vocational skills, Callum Filkin and Miles Whitehead; and outstanding apprentice, Grant Hewitt.

Keighley & Airedale Business Awards chair, Steven Burles, described the event as a “resounding success”.

He added: “The awards not only celebrate individual achievements, but also highlight the collective contribution of businesses to the local economy.

“The event was made possible by the support of businesses, including headline sponsor Teconnex, and we mustn’t forget the voluntary work of the awards committee members – Airedale Enterprise Services, Airedale Shopping Centre, AWB Charlesworth Solicitors, Emerald Publishing, Hayfield Robinson, Keybury, M&M Office Services, Puddle Agency and Rotherwood Recruitment.”

Keighley MP Robbie Moore, who was amongst the guests at the event, praised the organising team and pays tribute to all the winners and nominees.

He adds: “A huge congratulations goes to the winners of this year’s Keighley & Airedale Business Awards and to all who were nominated as finalists.

“It was brilliant to attend the evening and see so many fantastic businesses from across Keighley and our wider area being recognised for going above and beyond.”

Any businesses interested in sponsoring awards next year are asked to contact the committee via keighleyairedalebusinessawards.co.uk, where more photos from this year’s event can also be viewed.