Large businesses Buster and Punch, Inspire Education Group, MorePeople and KFE will fight it out at Mercury Business Awards 2023

Four businesses will fight it out for the final award of the Mercury Business Awards 2023.

Buster and Punch in Stamford, Inspire Education Group in Stamford, MorePeople, also in Stamford, and KFE based in Market Deeping are all shortlisted in the category of Large Business of the Year and will find out at the ceremony at Rutland Hall Hotel this evening (September 15), if they have won.

Inspire Education Group, comprises of Stamford College, Peterborough College and University Centre Peterborough.

Chief executive, Rachel Nicholls, said: “This recognition is testament to the hard work and dedication of our curriculum and business support staff, who strive to provide an exceptional educational experience to our students so that they have the skills and qualifications to get on in life and progress to their chosen destination.”

MorePeople is a specialist recruitment agency, based in Stamford, operating in the food, fresh produce, horticulture, agriculture and garden centre industries.

Natalie Smith from MorePeople said: “ We pride ourselves on being a fantastic local employer with great opportunities and benefits.

“We’ve booked a table for the awards evening so 10 lucky team members will get to attend a great night, good luck to all the finalists.”

KFE is a supplier of equipment to the fish and chip industry, which allows operators to reduce their carbon emissions by up to 50 per cent.

Helen Edmonds, a director of the firm, said: “Although we are a large business, we retain the values of a small, family-run company with our staff, customers and local community at the centre.

“It would be a huge honour to win this award and have the hard work of our staff - many who have been with us for over 15 years - recognised.”

KFE is also shortlisted in the Environmental Champion category.

Home fashion business Buster and Punch operates globally with 35 employees based in St Peter’s Hill, Stamford.

Chief finance officer James Robinson nominated his team for the award.

“I wanted to showcase the efforts staff put in to create great products,” he said.

“We went from nothing 10 years ago to not far off a £30 million revenue.

“The award would be something the team is proud of and to show how great our business is.”

James is also excited to meet other local business owners at the awards.

Large Business of the Year is one of 10 categories in the Mercury Business Awards, sponsored by Upp.

If you want to find out more about the Mercury Business Awards, you can visit www.mercurybusinessawards.co.uk.

We also have sponsorship opportunities for businesses which want to support our event. To find out more, e-mail our head of events at: sharron.marriott@iliffepublishing.co.uk

With grateful thanks to our headline sponsor Upp and our category sponsors: PVS Media, Alltech, Stamford College, South Kesteven District Council, Chattertons, Hegarty Solicitors, Stork of Stamford and Downtown.