THE line-up of finalists for the EADT’s 2012 Anglian Business Awards has been revealed.

Businesses and individuals from across Suffolk and north Essex will be competing for a total of 15 trophies at this year’s gala awards event, which takes place at Trinity Park, Ipswich, on Wednesday, July 4.

The awards have moved from their traditional Thursday slot this year, due to the scheduled arrival in Ipswich of the Olympic flame on July 5.

But the awards event will itself have something of a sporting theme, with the ceremony featuring Karen Pickering, a four-time gold medal winner for Britain at the swimming world championships, together with host David Bryon, a former managing director of low-cost airline bmibaby.

And at the start of the evening, Karen will start the inaugural Suffolk Open Criterium Championships cycling event, which will be taking place on a track around the Trinity Park showground as guests arrive for the awards ceremony at the main conference and events centre.

The shortlists for 12 of the 13 categories are as follows:

Community Involvement: The Hearing Care Centre, Ipswich; Ipswich Building Society, Ipswich; Willis, Ipswich.

Customer Service Person of the Year: Karen Finch, The Hearing Care Centre, Ipswich’ Darren Godfrey, Haven Power, Ipswich; Simon Gray, Denny Bros Supplies, Bury St Edmunds.

Environment: Denny Bros, Bury St Edmunds; St Mary’s School, Colchester; Zero Above, Alphamstone;

Family Business of the Year: Denny Bros, Bury St Edmunds; React Computer Partnership, Woodbridge; Ufford Park Hotel, Golf & Spa, Ufford.

Innovation: RB Media & PR, Ipswich; Thompson & Morgan, Ipswich; Free Rein, Hadleigh.

International Trade: MGC Lighting, Ipswich; Plant Parts, Hadleigh; Security Foiling, Ipswich.

Medium/Large Business of the Year: AtlasFram Group, Framlingham; Healthcare Homes, Langham, Colchester; Thompson & Morgan, Ipswich; Timberwolf, Stowmarket.

Not-for-Profit Business of the Year: Eastern Enterprise Hub, Ipswich; Red Rose Chain Theatre Company, Ipswich; Woodbridge Rugby Union Club, Woodbridge.

Rural Business of the Year: Edme, Mistley; The Pheasant, Gestingthorpe.

Small Business of the Year: Cubiqdesign, Newmarket; STC Solutions, Great Blakenham; Waddington Brown, Ipswich.

Start-Up Business of the Year: Creative Intent, Southwold; Norfolk Logistics, Felixstowe; The Swan, Long Melford.

Young Business Person of the Year: Dayle Bayliss, Dayle Bayliss Construction Consultant, Ipswich; Will Wright, White Space, Ipswich; Rachel Ducker, Apparition Marketing & Design and Apparition Music Promotions, Bury St Edmunds and Halesworth.

The Business Leader/Manager of the Year category will be judged from a “long list”, with the winner to be announced on the night. A Business Personality of the Year will be selected from among the winners of this and the other categories for individuals. An overall Business of the Year will again be selected from among the winners of the corporate categories.