Platinum Sponsor
Fraser Dawbarns LLP
Fraser Dawbarns is proud to be an SME Business Awards sponsor in 2024 and to be able to help and encourage both local entrepreneurs and established businesses to thrive and grow their commercial ventures. Whether you are purchasing or leasing business premises or agricultural land, entering into a new commercial contract, buying or selling a business or trying to resolve a commercial dispute, we have lawyers who can help.
We can also provide comprehensive legal advice for you and your family. Moving house is stressful; we can help to make it as easy as possible. Protecting your loved ones through making a Will and Lasting Power of Attorney is important; we have specialists who can advise. If you need family law advice of any sort, Fraser Dawbarns has an experienced and friendly team to assist. The firm works hard to ensure that clients are well supported, get the outcomes they need and feel that they have received advice which represents value for money. The firm has been giving timely, pragmatic advice and total peace of mind on legal matters to businesses and families across West Norfolk and East Cambridgeshire for many years. In Ely, the firm occupies a convenient business park location near the station but if you prefer to work with us remotely that’s fine too. If you are looking for a legal partner to work alongside you, please get in touch. |
Platinum Sponsor
Whitings LLP
Whitings LLP is proud to support the Ely SME Business Awards
Among the most familiar and respected names in the Ely business circles, Whitings was founded in 1928 by Walter Whiting, who spotted an opportunity to meet the demands of the area’s thriving farming communities. Nearly 100 years on and this independent firm of chartered accountants is still firmly rooted in East Anglia, with 12 partners and nearly 150 staff in 8 key market town locations.
“We’re delighted to be involved with the Ely SME Business Awards,” says partner Ian Piper. “Everyone is working hard to bounce back after Brexit, COVID and the cost of living crisis. Across Fenland we have some long-established businesses plus a raft of exciting entrepreneurial start-ups and they are meeting these new challenges as they arise.”
Nick Edgley, private client tax partner at the Ely office, specialises in looking after the firm’s personal tax and trust clients. “We offer both compliance and tax planning services. We are not just form fillers – always looking to identity tax planning opportunities that can make all the difference to spendable income levels as a standard part of our service.”
The Ely office of Whitings is based in modern offices, in the thriving Angel Drove business park. Partners Nick, Ian, and Amanda Newman head up a team of around 30 professional and administrative staff, who look after approximately 1,000 business, personal and not for profit clients. As well as looking after clients’ accounting and tax requirements, they also specialise in outsourced payroll, probate and wealth management services.
Gold Sponsor
Coast Transport
01353 881501
Martin and I started the company in March 2020 during the first lockdown. We serve mainly the construction industry but are always looking for other work. We have grown from 3 lorries to a little fleet of 14 now, from a Mercedes flatbed too 44t artics with a great team. We are a FORS Gold company, and all vehicles are DVS compliant for London.
Gold Sponsor
East Cambridgeshire District Council
As a district, East Cambridgeshire has experienced rapid growth and its business sector is keeping pace with this trend. The District Council is committed to partnering with other support organisations to provide comprehensive assistance to all types of businesses across the district. Through a dedicated Economic Development team, the approach aims to support not only the commercial success of the East Cambridgeshire economy, but also its social and environmental goals.
Working in close collaboration with partners, stakeholders and other council departments, the Economic Development team is committed to delivering five strategic interventions.
- Business growth
- Connectivity
- Place
- Climate
- People and skills
In continuing to successfully deliver this strategy, the Economic Development team is developing the approach to business and the service offer. Integral to this this is an open dialogue with business partners and this event is an opportunity to set out what will be a new approach to business support going forward.
Gold Sponsor
King’s Ely
01353 660700
King’s Ely is a leading independent co-educational day and boarding school. As one of the oldest schools in the country (founded in 970 AD), we nurture the academic and pastoral needs of around 1,000 pupils from the age of 2 through to 18.
King’s Ely stands in the shadow of the magnificent Ely Cathedral, which makes the perfect setting for concerts and performances, and serves as our school chapel. But it is not just our awe-inspiring environment that makes us unique. So too does our innovative approach to teaching and learning, our extensive extra-curricular programme, our outstanding pastoral care, and our quirky, historic traditions! As such, we are proud to have received an ‘excellent’ rating in all areas following our latest ISI Inspection.
Discover more by booking your personal visit today. www.kingsely.org
Gold Sponsor
NFU Mutual – East Cambridgeshire & Fenland Agency
NFU Mutual East Cambridgeshire and Fenland agency are delighted to be a sponsor and Gold Partner of the SME Ely Business Awards 2024.
NFU Mutual offers a wide range of products and services, including general insurance, life cover, pensions and investments and has been providing quality insurance for its customers, for over 110 years.
As a mutual, supporting customers and paying their claims comes first, in addition to carefully balancing delivering excellent service to customers whilst ensuring the business is run effectively.
As a top ten UK insurance company and the UK’s leading rural insurer, NFU Mutual has a UK agency network of local offices which include Ely, Wisbech and March.
Voted Which? Insurance brand of the year 2023, perhaps now is the time to choose your local insurance provider for your business and personal needs.
Gold Sponsor
Thorlabs
Thorlabs is a leading designer and manufacturer of photonics equipment for research, manufacturing, and biomedical applications. Founded in 1989, Thorlabs is headquartered in Newton, New Jersey with approximately 2,500 employees at manufacturing and sales offices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden, Japan, China, and Brazil. As a vertically integrated company we design, develop, and manufacture our product portfolio of over 20,000 items.
Your Award Judges
Ian Piper
Partner | Whitings LLP
Daniel Ball
Partner, Agriculture & Estates Specialist | Fraser Dawbarns LLP
David Green
Employment Law Specialist | Fraser Dawbarns LLP
Seema Solanki
Partner, Succession & Estate Planning Specialist | Fraser Dawbarns LLP
Nick Lancaster
Economic Development Officer | East Cambridgeshire District Council
Kieran Carr
Economic Development Officer | East Cambridgeshire District Council
Jordan Day
Head of Media and Public Relations | King’s Ely
Jon Cade
Agent & Business Partner | NFU Mutual – East Cambridgeshire & Fenland Agency