Anita Bhalla OBE named ‘Brummie of the Year’ at the 5th Birmingham Awards
One Room, One City, One Love
On Saturday 9th November the Library of Birmingham was sparkling with red & blue – the brand colours of Birmingham Awards.
This was the 5th Birmingham Awards and the organisers felt such a milestone should be marked by celebrating in one of Birmingham most iconic buildings the Library of Birmingham.
The logistics involved to transform a place of reading and learning to a place of recognition and celebration in just under two hours felt almost impossible to comprehend but the organisers Ifraz Ahmed & Anita Chumber succeeded to deliver a magnificent evening of celebrations.
The night kicked off with a sparkling drinks reception hosted by Bottega Birmingham, in the Rotunda of the library.
5 years ago, the organisers set out with a vision to create a platform to bring together the various sectors of the city to collectively celebrate and further unite Birmingham to allow for a dialogue of opportunity and growth. The organisers were proud to see so many new organisations and individuals which is a testament to their original vision.
The founders Ifraz and Anita said the following:
Anita said: “We created the awards because we believe that a city of ambitious, vibrant & inspirational people & organisations needs a platform to highlight & celebrate the incredible work being done.”
Ifraz said: “We are passionate about ensuring that we all come together collectively to celebrate each other. We want to identify & acknowledge the unsung hero, using their stories to inspire others to do the same. Recognition, support, collaboration & celebration are key to our city & region to grow & prosper.”
Hosted by Heart FM’s Ed James who did a magnificent job of keeping the evening proceedings in order with plenty of entertainment.
Keynote speaker was Midlands Metro Mayor, Andy Street with an engaging and inspiring opening speech heaping praise on the city and saying “the future of Birmingham has never looked so optimistic”.
Live entertainment on the night was provided by Aston Performing Arts Academy who had the whole room on their feet. No matter how many times you may have seen them perform, it always feels like the first time, they are an amazing act and know how to energise a room.
There was a nice touch when an impromptu pause saw the Birmingham Awards team bring out a cake for one of Birmingham’s most loved individuals, Steve Brittan to congratulate him and his wife Cindy on their 50th Wedding Anniversary, which was well received with applause and a standing ovation.
This year’s Brummie of the year was awarded to chair of Town Hall & Symphony Hall, Anita Bhalla OBE who has transformed Birmingham and beyond.
The lifetime Achievement award was awarded to UK’s first lady of soul Jaki Graham who said “Thank you so much for my Lifetime Achievement award! To get this recognition from my very own hometown makes this that much more special! It makes me proud to be a Brummie. Congratulations to all the well deserved winners”.
Finally, Birmingham Awards would like to thank the headline sponsor Love Your Postcode. Supporting sponsors Bootcamp Media, F5 Foster Care, Falcon Insurance, Heylus Recruitment, Oxbridge, Squibble, Thorns Group and United Carpets.
Drinks sponsors Bottega Prosecco Bar and Swallow Drinks.
Supporting partners Asaysi, Baked in Brick, Glimpse, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Hollywood Monster, Purely, Subway, Town Hall Symphony Hall, Vibrant Networks and Unique Venues Birmingham.
Media partners Dluxe Magazine, Birmingham Updates and PR Partner It Is PR.
A big thanks to the generous donations to help raise money for the charity partner Love Brum.
We’ll look forward to what Birmingham Awards brings to us next year.
Check out all the photos from the big night:
Pictures by Jas Sansi
Picture by Mr Ladd Media
Big winners from the night
ARTS & CULTURE AWARD - Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) - PRESENTED BY Dluxe Magazine
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR - Evolve Birmingham - SPONSORED BY Love Your Postcode
CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION - Sarah Mullin (Priory School) - SPONSORED BY Oxbridge
YOUNG ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR - Anna Assinder - SPONSORED BY Oxbridge
BAR/PUB OF THE YEAR - Hotel du Vid Birmingham - SPONSORED BY Falcon Insurance
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Unique IQ Ltd - SPONSORED BY Falcon Insurance
SPORTING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR - WBC Womens Boxing Club SPONSORED BY Hollywood Monster
COMMUNITY INITIATIVE/CHARITY OF THE YEAR - Birmingham St Marys Hospice - PRESENTED BY PJ Ellis
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR - Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant - SPONSORED BY Bootcamp Media
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Trimz and Tantrumz Children's Salon - SPONSORED BY Bootcamp Media
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR - Stephanie Taylor - SPONSORED BY Heylus Recruitment
VENUE OF THE YEAR - Holte Suite-Aston Villa - SPONSORED BY Love Your Postcode
BUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAR - Stacey Barnfield - SPONSORED BY Love Your Postcode
BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR - Natalie Taylor-Herrick - SPONSORED BY F5 Fostercare
JUDGES AWARD - Hailey Hanson - PRESENTED BY All the Judges
NETWORKER OF THE YEAR - Adam Andrew Hayes - SPONSORED BY Squibble
EXCELLENCE IN MEDIA - Balvinder Sidhu (ITV) - SPONSORED BY Squibble
BEST SHOPPING EXPERIENCE - Touchwood Shopping Centre - SPONSORED BY Bottega Prosecco Bar
INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF THE YEAR - Chouchoute Chocolaterie - SPONSORED BY United Carpets
BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA OR MARKETING CAMPAIGN - Birmingham Hippodrome
BRUMMIE OF THE YEAR - Anita Bhalla OBE - PRESENTED BY Ifraz Ahmed & Anita Chumber (AWARD FOUNDERS)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Jaki Graham (Award Collected by Jaki's daughter, Natalie)
Shortlist 2019
Winners will be announced at the prestigious awards dinner on Saturday 9th November 2019 at the Library of Birmingham.
Good luck to all the finalists that have made this year’s shortlist.
Have a look at who are this year’s finalists:
Restaurant of the Year
Akram's Kashmiri Restaurant
BA- HA
BANK
Chung Ying Cantonese
Fumo
Jojolapa Nepalese Bar & Kitchen
The Butchers Social
The Ivy
Bar/Pub of the Year
Aluna
Hotel Du Vin Birmingham
Malmaison
Revolucion De Cuba
The Alchemist
The Old Crown
The Old Dispensary
The Sun on the Hill
Best Shopping Experience of the Year
Bullring/Grand Central
Great Western Arcade
New Square
Resorts World
The Fort
Touchwood
Independent Retailer of the Year
Butcher's Block
Chouchoute Chocolaterie
Goodlife Barbershop
Rudells
Sember
Smithsonia
Soltee
The Workshop Below
Arts & Culture Award of the Year
Aston Performing Arts Academy
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Capsule
Midlands Arts Centre
School of Theatre Excellence
The Alexandra
The Old Rep Theatre
Town Hall Symphony Hall
Business of the Year
Barker Bretell LLP
Cameron Price
Gemini Professional Financial Group
Gleeson Recruitment
Metro Bank
Rimilia
SDL Auctions
Unique IQ Ltd
Small Business of the Year
Ark Media Productions
HT Brigham
Kang & Co Solicitors
Morgan Parkes
Talent Hive
Taylor Herrick Recruitment
Trimz & Tantrumz Children’s Salon
Urban Training Health
Community Initiative/Charity/Volunteer of the Year
Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice
Females of Empowerment CIC
John Taylor Hospice
Let’s Feed Brum
New Heights
Sikh Women’s Action Network
Street Doctors Birmingham Team
Willmott Dixon – Enrichment Programme
Excellence in Media Award of the Year
Balvinder Sidhu – ITV Central
Brum Notes Magazine
Heart West Midlands
Mailbox Life
Science with Syd
Sixty9 Degrees Magazine
Sunny & Shay – BBC WM
Swan Publishing
Sporting Initiative of the Year
Aspire Sports
Birmingham Futsal Club
Birmingham Youth Sports Academy
Rising Stars Football Academy
Ruach Karate
Sport 4 Life
Sport Birmingham
WBC Women’s Boxing Club
Social Media/Marketing Campaign of the Year
Birmingham Hippodrome
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Bread Birmingham
Chinese New Year Festival
Colmore Food Festival
Digbeth Dining Club
HDY Agency
Town Hall Symphony Hall
Venue of the Year
Aston Villa Holte Suite
Edgbaston
Resorts World Arena
The Birmingham Conference & Events Centre
The ICC
The National Motorcycle Museum
The Vox
Unique Venues Birmingham
Social Enterprise of the Year
Change Kitchen
Creative Alliance
Evolve - Birmingham
I-SE
Miss Macaroon
Project Aspie
Shelanu
Sociability Care CIC
Contribution to Education Award of the Year
Emerge leadership UK CIC
Kimichi School
Learning Labs
Mike Hopkins - South & City College Birmingham
Ormiston Academies Trust
Sarah Mullin – Priory School
Services For Education
Steve Dourass – South & City College Birmingham
Businessman of the Year
Alan Lusty – Adi Group
Andrew Dawson – Curium Solutions
Gurbinder Sandhu – Kartar Consulting
Mark O’Sullivan - Banabay
Michael Ward – Gateley UK
Sam Piri – ITAE Group
Stacey Barnfield – Edwin Ellis Creative Media
Stuart Holt – Javelin Block
Businesswoman of the Year
Amina Hussain – SME Outsourcing
Christiana Melam – National Association of Link Workers
Denise Morris – Tag Network Midlands
Eileen Schofield – Schofield & Associates
Hailey Hanson – The Hailey Hanson Academy
Kirsty Davies-Chinnock – Professional Polishing Services
Natalie Taylor - Herrick Recruitment
Professional of the Year
Amandip Jheeta – Tata Consultancy Services
James Wilcox – Willmott Dixon
Mark Hands – Irwin Mitchell Solicitors
Naeem Arif - NA Consulting Ltd
Pam Sheemar – Natwest
Rav Bagri – Metro Bank
Sana Ahmed – HRS Family Law Solicitors
Stephanie Taylor – Malmaison
Networker of the Year
Adam Andrew Hayes – Hoot Hospitality
Bill Good – China West Midlands
Dave Massey – Brum Hour
Elizabeth Mee – Heylus Recruitment
Hannah Floyd – Sylter
Helen Gordon – Woodshires
Mark O’Sullivan – Banabay
Rosemary Major – Anthony Collins Solicitors
Young Achiever of the Year
Anna Assinder - Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce -Future Faces
Ayesha Rehman – Tresor Beauty Make up and Skincare Studio
Harvey Perttola – Maribel Restaurant
Jack Knowles – Yapa
Jeevan Chaggar – Evolve SI
Kia Hunt – HDY Agency
Mark Hipwell – LM JV
Matthew Dodwell – Hilton Metropole
FINALIST ANNOUNCEMENT & VOTING OPEN
We have had an incredible number of nominations for the 5th Birmingham Awards.
The Birmingham Awards is a collective celebration of our magnificent city, bringing together the inspirational and proud individuals and organisations that live & breath Birmingham.
There is much to celebrate in Birmingham. We believe that the people of our city deserve recognition, that the passion, drive and ingenuity of the individuals and industries in Britain’s second city have made Brum an international giant.
The 2019 Birmingham Awards Dinner will take place at the Library of Birmingham on Saturday 9th November 2019. The Birmingham Awards continues to recognise people and businesses that have been part of the movement in Birmingham’s future.
Huge Thank you to everyone who nominated – Birmingham has a tremendous amount of talent which was clear to see from the nominations we have received.
Voting has also opened today – so get voting for your favourites.
Visit www.birminghamawards.co.uk/vote-now to cast your votes.
Winners will be announced at the prestigious awards dinner on Saturday 9th November 2019 at the Library of Birmingham.
Good luck to all the finalists that have made this year’s shortlist.
Have a look at who are this year’s finalists:
Restaurant of the Year
Akram's Kashmiri Restaurant
BA- HA
BANK
Chung Ying Cantonese
Fumo
Jojolapa Nepalese Bar & Kitchen
The Butchers Social
The Ivy
Bar/Pub of the Year
Aluna
Hotel Du Vin Birmingham
Malmaison
Revolucion De Cuba
The Alchemist
The Old Crown
The Old Dispensary
The Sun on the Hill
Best Shopping Experience of the Year
Bullring/Grand Central
Great Western Arcade
New Square
Resorts World
The Fort
Touchwood
Independent Retailer of the Year
Butcher's Block
Chouchoute Chocolaterie
Goodlife Barbershop
Rudells
Sember
Smithsonia
Soltee
The Workshop Below
Arts & Culture Award of the Year
Aston Performing Arts Academy
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Capsule
Midlands Arts Centre
School of Theatre Excellence
The Alexandra
The Old Rep Theatre
Town Hall Symphony Hall
Business of the Year
Barker Bretell LLP
Cameron Price
Gemini Professional Financial Group
Gleeson Recruitment
Metro Bank
Rimilia
SDL Auctions
Unique IQ Ltd
Small Business of the Year
Ark Media Productions
HT Brigham
Kang & Co Solicitors
Morgan Parkes
Talent Hive
Tay