Winners urge Powys businesses to enter this year’s prestigious awards
Winners of last year’s Powys Business Awards are encouraging companies, social enterprises and individuals to put themselves forward for recognition in 2026.
Entries for the awards, which recognise outstanding businesses across Powys, close on July 26 - visit www.powysbusinessawards.co.uk for more information. Finalists shortlisted by a panel of independent judges will be invited to a dinner at The Infantry Battle School, Dering Lines, Brecon, on Friday, October 23 when the winners will be announced.
Organised by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group, the awards include 10 categories in addition to the overall Powys Business of the Year and a discretionary judges award.
Anne Smith, managing partner of Welshpool-based law firm Harrisons Solicitors LLP, who won one the overall Powys Business of the Year and People Development Awards last year, says the accolades have promoted the company.
“The awards have raised the profile of the business, attracted potential work and enhanced our reputation as a good employer that is willing to spend money on training its people,” she said.
“The awards are great for showcasing the businesses and the quality jobs, for people at all levels, that we have here in Powys. I would definitely recommend the awards to other Powys businesses.”
Sherrie Woolf is chief financial officer of SudoCyber Ltd, a Brecon-based cyber security training company which won both the Small Business Award (under 30 employees) and the Technology & Innovation Award last year.
She says businesses have nothing to lose and everything to gain from entering this year
“Winning the awards has been really good PR and recognition for our company,” she said. “Having the extra coverage introduced us to new businesses both locally and internationally.
“Many companies are not good at celebrating success, so to come home with two awards really helped to highlight and validate the work we do and the impact that we make.
“Companies in the education, private and public sectors are now aware of us and what we do and are looking at ways we can collaborate to improve the cyber resilience of their organisations and future generations.”
Vicky Mellor, a director of Charcroft Electronics, Llanwrtyd Wells, winner of the Business in the Community Award, said: “Winning a Powys Business Award was a fantastic achievement for Charcroft. Not only did it provide valuable publicity for the business, but it also gave us the opportunity to network with other organisations across the county.
“As a company, we are committed to making a positive contribution to both the local community and the wider economy and receiving this recognition reinforced the importance of that commitment.
“Operating globally from rural Mid Wales, we were particularly proud to receive the award at a time when many customers are placing increased value on supporting British businesses.
“The response from the local community has been overwhelmingly positive and we are delighted that our efforts have been recognised in this way.”
Angela Francis, marketing manager at Nomadic Washrooms, based in Welshpool, said since winning the Micro Business Award last October, the company has increased its franchise hire operations across the UK to six, with another potentially in the pipeline.
The company shepherd's hut washroom fleet is hired at weddings, events and festivals across the UK. It also sells bespoke luxury shepherd’s hut washrooms for glamping sites and retreats. All the trailers are manufactured in Welshpool.
“We work with corporate event and wedding planners, festivals and private individuals, which has resulted in one of our shepherd’s hut washrooms recently being booked for hire at a private event in the South of France,” said Angela.
“It’s a very exciting time for the business as we continue to expand with yards across the UK and potentially Europe, both with outdoor events and the manufacture and sale of bespoke build shepherd’s hut washrooms.”
