BIRMINGHAM, England, July 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- National Business Awards 2009 Regional Programme Sponsored by Orange

Over 350 business leaders and guests attended The National
Business Awards Regional Programme, sponsored by Orange, in Birmingham,
Thursday 16th July, to celebrate the success of the most innovative, ethical
and successful businesses in Wales, The Midlands and East Anglia.

Nine organisations were duly rewarded including Ipswich-based
Active Web Solutions Limited that triumphed with The Orange Best Use of
Technology in Business Award. Birmingham's Wesleyan Assurance Society, a
leading financial guidance, products and services provider for professionals,
won the prestigious Grant Thornton Business of the Year Award.

HL Display, one of Europe's leading suppliers of in-store
merchandising and communications solutions, based in Kirmington, won the
Health, Work & Well-being Award for Small Business. Its 50 years of trading
has not diminished the sense that this is a closely-knit group of people. All
staff clearly benefit from having health and wellbeing at work as a high
corporate priority. Scoring exceptionally high, HL Display was the unanimous
favourite of the judges.

Commenting on the winners, Anthony Keyworth, Director of
Products for headline sponsor, Orange, said: "The quality of finalists this
year has been outstanding, making many of the judging decisions very close
calls. All the winners displayed resilience and determination to succeed in
what has undoubtedly been a challenging environment, and it is organisations
such as these that will help to stimulate renewed growth in the local
economy."

Melton Mowbray-based Jeff Gunn, founder of Bright Ideas
Global, was presented with the much sought after Entrepreneur of the Year
Award for his exceptional leadership and vision. Philip Forrest, Chairman of
Judges, The National Business Awards said: "After a closely fought contest
between a number of extremely worthy entries the judges agreed Gunn exhibited
the vision, courage, determination and risk management skills that are the
hallmark of the entrepreneur. Gunn saw a market opportunity that created a
true win-win-win situation for his business, his customers and the wider
community."

The Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year trophy went to
Wolverhampton's Wow! Stuff. "Put simply, it was clear that Wow! Stuff is a
model SME because it is a highly profitable, well-managed, prudent, cutting
edge, fun business. And it's official - Wow! Stuff is the fastest growing and
most profitable company in the toy and gift industry. Importantly, they bring
great brands to life!" said Robert Janes, Chair of Judges and Managing
Director Stonebyte PR.

WEBMART Ltd from Bicester won The IMechE Business Innovation
of the Year Award for applying its software to build Europe's leading
low-cost print management service. Its multi-million pound turnover gives
vivid testament that this is an exceptional business innovation expertly
executed.

Smethwick's DPD, the trading division of GeoPost UK Limited,
was the unanimous winner of The Customer Focus Award. The judges recognised
the organisation for its creative and forward-thinking tactics, understanding
of its B2B and B2C customers' needs and its strong ethical code in business
leading to an exemplary customer focus strategy.

The Employer of the Year Award went to Northampton's
Novacroft. "Novacroft is a young and innovative business with justified
strong ambitions for growth," said Richard Pearson, Guest Chair of Judges.
"The organisation was awarded for its corporate responsibility policy and
actions underpinning what is obviously a well-run dynamic business, " Pearson
added.

Samworth Brothers Ltd won The Growth Strategy of the Year
Award. The judges deemed the winner to be a shining example of how a
skilfully managed growth strategy will produce exceptional results. "This
long established family business based at Melton Mowbray has secured
significant year-on-year growth without making concessions to product
quality, its support to local suppliers or its service promise to customers,"
concluded Robert Janes, Chair of Judges. Samworth Brothers Ltd manufactures a
range of value-added chilled food that includes its own brand Ginsters.

When asked to comment overall on this year's winners, Anthony
Keyworth, Director of Products for headline sponsor, Orange, said: "At Orange
we know that winning recognition in the National Business Awards is a huge
achievement and the success of each winner should be highlighted so that
suppliers, partners and customers know that they are dealing with an
organisation that is forward thinking and vibrant in its approach to business
thinking."

To obtain further information and see the full list of winners and
finalists visit http://www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk/regionals

The National Business Awards Regional Programme, sponsored by
Orange, is United Business Media's business recognition platform with its
particular emphasis on success, innovation and ethical business. Acknowledged
as the UK's leading showcase for achievement in business, The National
Business Awards connects the nation's professionals through its annual awards
ceremonies and year-round marketing and promotional activity.

THE NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS REGIONAL PROGRAMME 2009

WINNERS AND FINALISTS WALES, THE MIDLANDS AND EAST ANGLIA

The Orange Best Use of Technology in Business Award

Winner: Active Web Solutions Limited, Ipswich, IP8 4JU
Finalists: Click Travel Ltd, Birmingham, B1 3AS; Cybit Holdings Plc,
Huntingdon, PE29 6FN; Lafarge Aggregates Ltd, Syston, LE7 1PF; Novacroft,
Northampton, NN6 9AA; Rapide Communication, Coventry, CV4 7HS; Start-rite
Shoes Ltd, Norwich, NR7 0WF and Truancy Call Ltd, Solihull, B90 8AG

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Winner: Jeff Gunn, Bright Ideas Global, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0RQ

Finalists: David Thomson, Best Deal Insurance Services
Limited, Wellingborough, NN8 1DH; Dominic List, Comtact, Telford, TF3 3BB;
Adam Price, IT3.com, Cardiff, CF10 5LR; Stephanie Chamberlain, Magic
Milestones Ltd, Birmingham, B1 3JR; Sukhi Ghuman, Octavian Security,
Nottingham, NG4 2JY and Hilary Devey, The Pall-Ex Group of Companies,
Ellistown, LE67 1FH

The Grant Thornton Business of the Year Award

Winner: Wesleyan Assurance Society, Birmingham, B4 6AR

Finalists: Bottlegreen Drinks Company, Gloucestershire, GL5
5ET; Drive Assist UK Ltd, Tamworth, B78 3LY; Octavian Security, Nottingham,
NG4 2JY; The Business Fort PLC, Lichfield, WS13 6RJ and The Pall-Ex Group of
Companies, Ellistown, LE67 1FH

The Health, Work & Well-being Award for Small Business

Winner: HL Display, Kirmington, DN39 6YH

Finalists: Nominet, Oxford, OX4 4DQ and Novacroft, Northampton, NN6 9AA

The IMechE Business Innovation of the Year Award

Winner: WEBMART Ltd, Bicester, OX26 4UL

Finalists: Alcomet Limited, Kingswinford, DY6 8XF; Arden Photonics,
Birmingham, B4 7ET; China Industries Limited t/a Wow! Stuff, Wolverhampton,
WV10 9TG; Click Travel Ltd, Birmingham, B1 3AS; Galleria, Alsager, ST7 2LT;
Gladstone plc, Wallingford, OX10 9BT; I2D2 Ltd, Daventry, NN11 4XG; Rapide
Communication, Coventry, CV4 7HS and Stormsaver Ltd, Newark, NG22 8PG

The Customer Focus Award

Winner: DPD, Smethwick, B66 1BY

Finalists: Admiral (Customer Service Department), Cardiff, CF10 3AZ;
Bromford Group, Wolverhampton, WV10 6TB; Drive Assist Uk Ltd, Tamworth, B78
3LY; DVLA, Swansea, SA6 7JL; G4S Security Services (UK): Central Region,
Coventry, CV5 6UB; Luminus Group, Huntingdon, PE29 3QW; RM, Abingdon, OX14
4SE; Wales & West Housing Association, Cardiff, CF24 2UD and Wesleyan
Assurance Society, Birmingham, B4 6AR

The Growth Strategy of the Year Award

Winner: Samworth Brothers Ltd, Melton Mowbray, LE13 1GA

Finalists: Bright Ideas Global Ltd, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0RQ; China
Industries t/a Wow! Stuff, Wolverhampton, WV10 9TG; Drive Assist UK Ltd,
Tamworth, B78 3LY; Enpure Limited, Birmingham, B32 3DB; Find Me A Gift
Limited, Kineton, CV35 0JD; Lorien Engineering Solutions Limited, Lichfield,
WS13 8RZ; NetSupport Ltd, Peterborough, PE6 8NE; The Book Depository Ltd,
Gloucester, GL2 5EB and The Business Fort PLC, Lichfield, WS13 6RJ

The Employer of the Year Award

Winner: Novacroft, Northampton, NN6 9AA

Finalists: Kettleby Foods (a division of Samworth Brothers Ltd), Melton
Mowbray, LE13 1GA; Luminus Group, Huntingdon, PE29 3QW; The Arden Hotel &
Leisure Club, Solihull, B92 0EH and Kingscliffe Day Nursery, Loughborough,
LE11 3AB

The Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year

Winner: Wow! Stuff, Wolverhampton, WV10 9TG

Finalists: Castle Fine Arts Foundry Ltd, Nr Oswestry, SY10 0AA; Click
Travel, Birmingham, B1 3AS; Pine Solutions, Norwich, NR1 1RB; Postcode
Anywhere, Hallow, WR2 6NJ; Prometheus Medical Ltd, Herefordshire, HR6 0PW;
ScriptSwitch Limited, Coventry, CV3 4FJ; southwold pier ltd, Southwold, IP18
6BN; SPECFLUE LIMITED, Sudbury, CO10 2XW and The Stoke by Nayland Club