The waiting will be over for dozens of Suffolk businesses, on Wednesday October 24, when the winners of the Suffolk BME Business Awards 2018 will be revealed.
It is an evening of celebration, marking diversity in Suffolk with a wide variety of businesses areas and communities honoured.
The annual BME Business Awards celebrate the rich and diverse business community across Ipswich and Suffolk, where entrepreneurs from different ethnic backgrounds contribute to a vibrant and successful local economy.
This year, for the 2018 awards, more than 100 entries have been whittled down by the panel of judges, to 40 short-listed finalists.
The awards are organised by the Bangladeshi Support Centre, with the University of Suffolk, and supported by the East Anglian Daily Times and the Ipswich Star.
There are eight categories; Business of the Year, Business of the Year (catering), Business Person of the Year, New Business of the Year, Community Business of the Year, Women Entrepreneur of the Year, Charity of the Year and Judges’ Special Award of the Year.
The finalists again this year span a wide range of businesses, from restaurants and coffee houses and catering to the health and wellbeing, health and beauty to computers and the motor trade.
Finals night at the university’s Waterfront building is a multi-cultural event with lots of business networking opportunities.
Bosher Ali, chairman of the BSC, said: “It has been amazing to see how diverse and wide these awards have become in such a short time.
“We are really looking forward to a fantastic evening, and meeting up with so many nominees and guests at the university.
“We hope it will be an evening for everyone to enjoy. This is a very special event for Suffolk and its business community.”
The shortlist is as follows:
Business of the Year
Alamin (wholesaler) Ipswich
Carlton Hotel, Ipswich
Ebony & Ivory salon, Ipswich
Halal Connection, Ipswich
Ipswich Spine Clinic
Business of the Year (Catering)
Brandon Tandori
Coffeelink Ltd, Ipswich
Eastern Spice, Ipswich
Newmarket Kebab House
The Curry Inn, Needham Market
Business Person of the Year
Bayram Karabulut, Bella Napoli, Ipswich
Johnny Hussain, Blue Naan, Felixstowe
Mosahid Ali, Square Pharmacy, Ipswich
Ray Phagura, Nacton Road Fish Bar, Ipswich
Rofu Miah, 405 Cab Co, Ipswich
New Business of the Year
ABC Connect (handyman) Ipswich
Ipswich Bagel Company
Syrian Falafel Ipswich
Your Local (store) Ipswich
Zaynab Restaurant, Capel St Mary
Community Business of the Year
AA Motor Medic, Ipswich
Indian Village, Ipswich
M & M Pharmacy, Ipswich
Radius Computing, Ipswich
Raja Stores, Ipswich
Woman Entrepreneur of the Year
Margaret Willcott, Hydrojetz, Ipswich
Mio Vong, 1st Choice Oriental Takeaway, Ipswich
Monica Lima, Portoccino, Ipswich
Remi Morrision, Red Cactus Media, Ipswich
Selda Kolagasioglu, Mahzen, Ipswich
Charity of the Year
Bangladeshi Forum Waveney
Caribbean and African Community Health Forum
East Anglia Russian International Cultural Society
Karibu African Women’s Support
PHOEBE
Judges Special Award
ADM Associates
Ipswich Reggae Choir
MD Languages Academy
Re-Shape (fitness)
Your Life In Your Hands
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