The Anglian Business Awards

Terry Hunt, my editor at EADT (Archant)

We had a fabulous night last week at the Anglian Business Awards.

It was a very smooth running evening with great Adnams Champagne, a guest speaker John Humphries from BBC radio four, who was very funny plus amazing food from trainees at Milsoms.

To see Archant put on such a wonderful event I felt very proud of my association with the EADT newspaper paper.

As some of you may know our Suffolk Creative Agency Apparition Marketing and Design were up for the best start-up business of the year along with my good friend Hayley Sparkes and Together Property also based in Bury.

Hayley and I decided to put on a united front and we went to the event together along with our partners Craig and James. In a professional way we agreed to be happy for who ever won and if it was one of the two of us it would be a win win!

Rachel and Hayley finalists for the start-up business award

Sadly we were not successful this time, however I am very proud to announce that Gorgeous Star PR set up by Hayley won the award.

Gorgeous Star PR announced as winner!

I first met Hayley she worked for SK spa in Bury St Edmunds, she really wanted to set up her own business and I said well why don't you?

So I referred Hayley to my accountant who helped her to set up the business and donated her a website. This was enough to get her up and running and the rest was down to her! She has a great way with people which is what judges commented on during the awards.

Also during the night I bumped into a few good friends of mine, my good friend Esther Ling who is an amazing wedding photographer in Suffolk, along with her husband Ed Ling (who most of you may know! I swear he is Mr Facebook!)

Rachel with Esther Ling

Rachel with Ed Ling

And lastly the end of the night ended with a catch up with my good friend (head of the IOD and Ipswich building society) Paul Winter who was shortlisted for business person of the year award.

Rachel with Paul Winter

Another highlight was meeting those Crafty boys and girls from Crafted Media, who very kindly poured me one more glass of champagne (that I probably shouldn't have had) to celebrate their success of winning best small business. Which is great for the design industry in the area! Well done guys and ps. Tom I am on to you!

Two of the Crafted Media team!