Roofing firm wins first Quaywest business awards

THE winner of the first Quaywest Business Awards, as voted for by listeners of West Somerset’s only commercial radio station, was Chapel Roofing and Building Services Ltd, of Carhampton.
The station received nearly 2,000 valid votes for the awards, which attracted 27 entries from all over West Somerset.
The award was presented to Jason and Emma Cobbett, of Chapel Roofing, at a special presentation evening held in Minehead Football Club, when local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger was the guest of honour.
The presentation evening was also one of West Somerset’s largest networking events for local businesses.
The occasion was compered by Quaywest presenter Drew Haddon, and a charity auction was conducted by auctioneer John Addicott which raised several hundreds of pounds to be shared between the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Devon and Somerset Air Ambulance, and the Somerset Fire Service benevolent fund.
Everybody who registered a vote for their favourite local business was entered into a draw to win a murder mystery evening with the West Somerset Railway, while guests on the night were in with a chance of winning a meal for two in Reeves Restaurant, in Dunster.
As well as the Quaywest award, Jason and Emma Cobbett also received a 30-inch plasma screen Panasonic television, a month’s free advertising on the radio station, and a year’s advertising on the boarding around Minehead’s football pitch.
Other businesses which entered the awards were Aquasplash Leisure Centre, Webberbus, The Lighting Company, Minehead Computer Services, Stuart Lowen quality butcher, Natalie Poat travel counsellor, Ekos Kitchens, Dunkery Beacon Hotel, Penny Pine Ltd, Glenmore Café, Blondies, Chives delicatessen, Alan Harman Car Sales, Morris Carpets and Beds, Minehead Glass, Babys First, Corner House Stores, Willows Café and Gifts, Friday Print, West Somerset Motors, Trenz, The Shoe Centre, Cream, Blue Anchor Bay Garage, Cornerstone Projects, and Antlers Pet Supplies.
Quaywest sales executive Gerry Baxter told The Crier: “It was a brilliant night and enjoyed by everybody, including the senior management from our parent company Laser Broadcasting who attended.
“The awards help to support the businesses we have here in the Quaywest 102.4 and 100.8 fm catchment area and they give some recognition to those which do well and are highly regarded by their customers.”

• Our photograph shows (front) MP Ian Liddell-Grainger flanked by award winners Jason and Emma Cobbett, with (left to right) Stuart Linnell, of operations director of Laser Broadcasting, and Chapel House Roofing workers Karl Priddle and Chris Thorne, and (rear, left to right) Quaywest presenter Paul Green, sales staff Gerry Baxter, Berny McLoughlin, and James Taplin, and station manager Dave Englefield. Photo by Mark the Photographer, ref TCP0059. Order image reprints online at www.tcpbymtp.co.uk.

Awards for £300,000 county council PR team

THE public relations team at Somerset County Council has picked up four regional honours in the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ annual PRide awards, reflecting the authority’s commitment to communicating its services to residents.
It follows an increase in spending on council PR staff salaries of almost £100,000 to £311,000 a year, including the addition to the 10-strong team of one officer just for climate change issues.
Somerset won a finalist certificate for its regular newsletter ‘Your Somerset’, a silver award for its campaign to promote biofuels, a gold award for its ‘Bringing Domestic Abuse into the Light’ campaign, and it was also awarded ‘Best In-House PR Team of the Year’.
The CIPR awards recognise excellence in the public relations industry.
County council chief executive Alan Jones said: “These awards are recognition of Somerset County Council’s continuing excellence in communicating its services to Somerset’s taxpayers.
“Letting residents know what services they can access and the achievements of the council is core in learning how we can improve our services and I am delighted that the CIPR have recognised the strides that we are making in delivering communications excellence.”
Portfolio holder for communications and marketing, Councillor Paul Buchanan, said: “Being recognised for outstanding excellence by one’s industry is a fabulous achievement and I am delighted for our staff, who have contributed to these awards.
“I am delighted that Somerset County Council can say that we have the best communicators in the South West, who are helping to tell Somerset’s residents all about the excellent services that we provide.”

• Our photograph shows the county council PR team outside County Hall, Taunton, (left to right) back row - PR and communications officer Robert Booth, media analyst Alex Bacon, PR officer Elizabeth Kulh, PR and media relations officer Mark Ford , climate change communications officer Ruth Baker. Front - PR officer Jan Hookings, access and communications manager Robert Gunning, access and communications manager Deborah Porter, PR and communications officer Claire Cullen. Photo submitted.

Council wants to honour parish heroes

UNSUNG parish heroes are to be honoured by West Somerset Council with an awards presentation in March.
The council is seeking nominations by February 23 of groups or individuals who have worked to improve their local communities.
Council leader, Councillor Christine Lawrence (pictured), said: “We would like to acknowledge the time and effort that many local people put into making their parishes better places for people to live and work in.
“We are organising an event to celebrate their achievements and to thank them for their work.
“We are asking for councils or residents to nominate people or groups that have made a significant or outstanding contribution to improving the lives or environment of others.
“We appreciate that a lot of people put in a lot of effort to bring about benefits to the whole community.
“We would love to help celebrate the contribution of these people or groups and acknowledge the positive impact they make on the lives of others.”
Examples of nominations could be people or groups which have enabled others to achieve a better quality of life, or tended open spaces for the benefit of the environment, or who have overcome hardship to contribute to their community.
An awards ceremony will be held in the council’s Williton chambers on March 15.
Anybody who wants to make a parish champion nomination should send their own contact details, together with their nomination and the reason for the nomination, to Wendy Bass, West Somerset Council, 20 Fore Street, Williton, TA4 4QA by February 23.
Photo submitted.