Photos:
- Ken Tonge and Karen Tonge OBE, Special Recognition Award winners.
- The winners of the Halton Business Awards 2025.
Businesses large and small joined together to recognise excellence and celebrate success with 500 local business leaders and talented employees coming together for the 15th Halton Business Awards.
This sell out event was once again held at the DCBL Stadium in Widnes and supported by the returning main sponsor Direct Security Solutions. This year’s event was, for the first time, hosted by local journalist, Roger Johnson. Roger is a familiar face to many as the anchor of BBC North West Tonight and has also appeared on BBC Breakfast and other national broadcasts.
The big winners on the night were Amnis Group Limited, specialists in commercial and industrial building services, who were awarded ‘Halton’s Outstanding Business of the Year 2025’. They qualified for this award having earlier received the award for ‘Family Business of the Year (Less than 35 Employees)’.
Paul Dolan, Managing Director of Amnis Group Limited said: “We’re absolutely over the moon to have won, not only the Family Business of the Year, but also the Outstanding Business of the Year at the Halton Business Awards 2025. It was a complete surprise, and we are truly honoured by the recognition, a testament to all the hard work we and our team have put into building a trusted, reliable, and quality-driven business. What made it even more meaningful was the integrity and honesty of the awards process. Knowing that a panel of respected, independent judges saw real value in what we are building means so much to us.
A huge thank you to the judging panel, the Halton Chamber, and everyone involved in such a fantastic evening. We’re incredibly proud to be part of such a supportive and thriving local business community.”
This year the category that generated the most applications recognised the valuable contribution of young people under the age of 25. The popularity of this award clearly demonstrates that Halton has an abundance of young talent which organisations are keen to both nurture and celebrate. Everyone that was shortlisted demonstrated high level skill and commitment with ‘Apprentice/Young Person of the Year (Under 20 Years Old)’ sponsored by Merseyside Printing, awarded to Lilly Price from Bridgewater Home Care – Halton and ‘Apprentice/ Young Person of the Year (20+ Years Old)’, sponsored by CD&P Media, going to Hollie Marsh from Aqueous Digital. Individual talent was also recognised with the Entrepreneur of the Year, supported by new sponsors InterGen Rocksavage, awarded to Nick Griffiths, owner and MD of Astmoor based Industrial Cooling Equipment (ICE) Ltd.
Other winners included Aqueous Digital, who won the ‘Commitment to the Community Award’ sponsored by Redrow and Deadman Ink Tattoo Studio & Bistro who took home the ‘Outstanding Customer Service Award’ sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Halton and St Helens VCA sponsored the ‘Social Enterprise Award’ which went to Vibe UK and Tracoinsa System UK Ltd won the ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ trophy sponsored by Olsen Actuators & Drives.
Riverside College were also winners on the night winning the much coveted ‘Employer of the Year (35+ Employees) Award’ sponsored by LJMU Liverpool Business School along with Nightstop Communities North-West CIC (NCNW) winning ‘Employer of the Year (Less than 35 Employees’). Category sponsors INEOS Inovyn presented ‘Clean, Green Business of the Year 2025’ to Engage Training Academy Ltd.
Sustainable Woodchip Ltd received the ‘Rising Star High Growth Award’, sponsored by Horizons. Halton Housing sponsored two categories recognising family businesses, one of which went to Anthony’s Travel who are this year also celebrating 40 years in business. ‘Exporter of Year’, sponsored by Sedulo, was presented to Roberts Recycling Ltd and ‘BID Business of the Year’, sponsored by Halton BID, went to DC Leisure Group.
Guests were entertained by Alison D, a local artist, who commanded the stage and filled the dancefloor. VIP guests were also kept intrigued by local magician Robbie Danson, ensuring that everyone had a great night.
Rachael Owen, Chief Executive of Halton Chamber of Commerce said: “It’s always an honour to shine a spotlight on our phenomenal, local businesses. Once again, we’ve seen some impressive examples of world class innovation, sustainable and green embedded practice, great employers offering fantastic opportunities, a genuine commitment to the Borough and our local community and above all real talent driving business growth and economic success. There is much to celebrate and it’s fantastic to witness that it’s all happening right here, in Halton.’
Ms Owen went on to say: ‘It’s incredible how our business community comes together to deliver what is the biggest business event in the Borough. It’s a true, team effort and all down to local business community who want to get involved and apply, our award judges who generously give their time and expertise and the sponsors who year on year demonstrate their commitment to supporting and promoting business success and local talent. We’d like to thank everyone involved as we, quite honestly, couldn’t do it without you!’
Twenty awards were presented in total including an award recognising ‘Innovative Business of the Year’, sponsored by Sci-Tech Daresbury and STFC, which this year went to Quantum Science Ltd, an organisation that very successfully develops and commercialises quantum dots and nano materials. Two awards recognising start up/early stage businesses were presented by Halton Chamber of Commerce and these went to Bridgewater Home Care – Halton and Connect Counselling and Supervision Services Ltd.
This year’s Awards also celebrated Ken Tonge and Karen Tonge OBE, a couple who have changed and enhanced the lives of many through their youth work, passion for table tennis and dedication to the borough. Following a specially commissioned short video, which premiered on the night, Ken and Karen were presented with the ‘Special Recognition Award’ by the Mayor and Consort of Halton, Cllrs Martha and Peter Lloyd Jones. This resulted in the night’s only, and very well-deserved, standing ovation.
The Halton Business Awards is an annual event recognising exceptional performance with organisations and business professionals from across Runcorn and Widnes recognised. With entries across all sectors, these Awards showcase business success and organisational expertise.
A full list of the finalists and the winners is available online at: https://www.haltonchamber.co.uk/business-awards/2025-finalists-and-winners.html