The best in local business was on show at the Uralla Shire Business Chamber’s 2024 Business Excellence Awards.
Winners were announced in front of a sellout crowd at the Uralla Golf Club last Friday 30th of August in what proved to be a fantastic night out celebrating the outstanding business hub that Uralla has now created.
This year proved to be one of the biggest yet, with a record number of nominations, making the six separate categories all hotly contested.
“Nights such as the 2024 Business Chamber Awards bring businesses together in a way like no other, giving them the opportunity to showcase their businesses, share with each other and celebrate their success – Something that is particularly important in our current economic client,” Diane Grey, guest speaker and regional director of Business NSW New England North West said.
And the winners are…
The Uralla Shire Business Chamber Excellence in Business Award this year went to the Invergowrie General Store, who said, “This is a very proud moment against a long list of other excellent businesses in the area.”
Runners-up for the Excellence in Business Award, TG’s Child Care, also took out the award for the ACEN New England Solar Outstanding Apprentice or Trainee. Isabella Cordery from their Uralla Centre won the 2024 award, with Tara Vickery from Uralla Preschool as runner-up.
The Regional Australia Bank Outstanding Employee Award went to Lisa Marie Wotten from Uralla Preschool.
“I think what makes an outstanding employee is the people that you work with. The people I work with, the community I work in, and getting up and going to work knowing that I’m helping the future, working with young children,” Lisa Marie said.
Runner-up for Outstanding Employee went to Lucy Neary from The Alternate Root.
Outstanding Community Organisation (sponsored by the Mailler Family) was won by the Uralla Community Organisation.
The not-for-profit group, who fall under the auspice of New England Family Support have been servicing Uralla for 35 years by means of information and support, a food pantry and emergency food relief, hygiene facilities, the Uralla Garden project and the distribution of Escabag Escape Bags.
The runner-up for this category was the Rotary Club of Uralla.
The Uralla Shire Business Chamber Outstanding Leader in Business went to Adam Hayes from the Pie Mechanic.
“We do a large number of collaborations involving businesses like New England Brewery, Dobson’s Distillery, Dale’s Downtown Meats. But once the creation is done, it’s also about how we deliver the product,” Adam said.
“We have a team of 36 staff, from 12 years all the way through to 60. And that means the wide of age groups is a good spread for customer service, for engagement with customers, with town people and in transit customers.”
Runner-up for Outstanding Leader was Stephen Dobson from Dobson’s Distillery.
Outstanding New Business a local success story
The New England Times sponsored the award for Outstanding New Business for 2024, which went to Melibee Honey and with the runner-up prize being taken out by Old Memories and Treasures.
Melibee Honey is now a great local success story, born from Geoff McNally’s passion for beekeeping.
“Geoff was really keen to turn his hobby into a commercial operation, and I’d done a few business courses and knew we needed to find a point of differentiation and this is where our creamed honey and flavour infused honeys came in,” Jody McNally, Geoff’s wife and co-owner of Melibee said.
“Our creamed honey won the top award at the Royal Sydney Easter Show this year so we’d really like to win that a second year in a row in 2025.”
Melibee’s who supply businesses in Armidale and Uralla, as well as selling at local markets and online, keep their bees across the New England region, trying to keep as close to home as possible.
“We’re so very happy to have won the Outstanding New Business Award this year – it really means a lot to us,” Jody said.
“Uralla is such a hub of wonderful businesses and creators so it’s a very special win and it’s really amazing to be recognised by the community.”
For more information about the Uralla Shire Business Chamber, and more information about the winners of this year’s awards, visit the Chamber’s Facebook page.
Top image: The TJ’s Childcare team with one of their two awards at the Uralla Shire Business Chamber’s 2024 Business Excellence Awards (Richard Monk)
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