Rainford High triumph at St Helens Borough Business Awards

Rainford High School has triumphed at the recent St Helens Borough Business Awards that took place on Friday 15October at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

In collaboration with St Helens Borough Council the event celebrated the best of St Helens businesses, as well as providing a perfect opportunity to network and be entertained.

300 guests were welcomed to the event by host of the evening, Pete Emmett, before being inspired by special guest speaker Martin Murray.

The event also raised money for two local charities, The Steve Prescott Foundation and Halton and St Helens VCA, with donations being divided between them.

The evening saw Rainford High School pick up the Education and Business Partnership of the Year Award.

Gary Makin, director of personal development and careers at Rainford High, said: “We are delighted to have received this award in recognition of the education and business partnership the school has built with St Helens Chamber over the past twelve months.  

“This has allowed us to offer meaningful, relevant and aspirational careers events for all year groups during the restrictions of the pandemic and I’d like to thank the staff involved from both Rainford High and St Helens Chamber for their support and commitment towards helping the school live its ethos of ‘Everyone Matters, Everyone Helps and Everyone Succeeds’ in ensuring students were able to access productive and meaningful CEIAG (careers, education, information and guidance) opportunities during the course of the year.” 

Ian Young, principal of Rainford High, added: “We are thrilled to have all the team’s hard work and effort recognised by this award and we will use it to inspire us to work even harder to improve the offer for the young people at Rainford High.” 

The winners at this years awards were as follows:
• Small Business of the Year, sponsored by Langtree Property Partners – Genesis Training Group Ltd
• Social Business of the Year, sponsored by Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action – OLCOTWISH CIC
• Business Hero: Community Commitment Award, sponsored by Knauf Insulation – The Hope Centre
• Education and Business Partnership of the Year, sponsored by Lucam Consultancy Ltd – Rainford High School
• Employer of the Year, sponsored by Wind in the Willows Childcare – Enspec Power Ltd
• Business Diversification Award, sponsored by Miller Developments – The Branded Items Group Ltd
• Business Start Up of the Year, sponsored by Network Space – JetsetRC
• Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by kenable Ltd – Allie Baglow, Allisons Financial Planning Ltd
• Green Business of the Year, sponsored by PLP – E-Verve Energy Ltd
• Diversity & Inclusion Award, sponsored by Galliford Try – Ever-Evolving Ltd
• Export Business of the Year, sponsored by Brendon International Ltd – Sandon Global Engraving Technology Ltd
• Student of the Year, sponsored by Genesis Training Group Ltd – Dylan Coward, MD Creatives
• Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Starbank Panel Products Ltd – Courtney Hodgkinson, TD Construction Testing Ltd

Tracy Mawson, Chief Executive at St Helens Chamber, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the volume and calibre of entries to the St Helens Borough Business Awards. After such a tumultuous period for businesses across the Borough, it was heartening to see so much talent on display during this year’s judging process. The judges really did have a difficult job on their hands, but I believe we have found some truly outstanding winners.

“For me the Awards demonstrates the depth and breadth of the business community here in the Borough and that diversity is our strength.”