Author: Claire Sutherley

The Wakefield Business Awards are back for 2026 — bigger, bolder, and ready to welcome more of our district’s incredible business community than ever before. As we move into our fifth year, we’re thrilled to announce that this year’s awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 12 November 2026 at WX, Wakefield.

This new venue marks the start of an exciting chapter for the awards, reflecting the phenomenal growth of the event. What began as a small celebration of local enterprise has quickly become one of the biggest business nights in the Wakefield calendar. In 2026, we expect to host around 500 guests, bringing together organisations of every size and sector to shine a spotlight on the very best in Wakefield business success.

A Growing Celebration of Wakefield Excellence

The Wakefield Business Awards continue to evolve each year, and our 2026 event is shaping up to be the most ambitious yet. This week WBA co-creators, Claire Sutherley DL, Managing Director of We Are Wakefield Ltd and Louise Turner Founder of Wordsmiths Unlimited and Awards Writers, to finalise the categories for the year ahead.

2026 will see two exciting new additions to our awards lineup:

• Wakefield Manufacturer of the Year — celebrating the outstanding manufacturing businesses powering growth, innovation, and employment across our district.
• Outstanding Contribution to the Wakefield District — a special honour awarded directly by the Wakefield Business Awards to an individual whose exceptional work has made a profound impact on our region.

These new categories will sit alongside our established honours, creating an even richer platform to showcase the diverse talent, creativity, and resilience of the Wakefield business community.

Why Enter the Wakefield Business Awards?

Whether you’re a long-established business or an emerging organisation making waves, entering the Wakefield Business Awards offers powerful benefits:

Recognition & Credibility

Winning — or even being shortlisted — boosts your reputation and validates your achievements in a credible, independent way.

Networking & Visibility

The awards night brings together hundreds of influential business leaders, offering unparalleled networking opportunities.

Marketing Exposure

From PR and social media reach to increased brand awareness, the awards help your organisation get noticed for all the right reasons.

 Team Motivation

Submitting an entry is a great way to highlight your team’s hard work, celebrate success, and build pride internally.

Growth Opportunities

Awards can strengthen bids, support funding applications, and attract new clients or partnerships.

If you’ve never entered before, 2026 is the perfect time to step into the spotlight.

Entries Open in May — Stay Connected

Entries for the Wakefield Business Awards 2026 officially open in May. Keep a close eye on our social media channels for updates, announcements, and category details:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

You can also explore the Wakefield Business Awards website to explore the categories, understand the entry process, and get a feel for what to expect on awards night.

See You at WX on 12 November!

We can’t wait to celebrate with you at our brand-new venue, WX, on 12 November 2026. It promises to be an unforgettable evening filled with celebration, inspiration, and recognition for the outstanding businesses that make Wakefield shine. Ticket sales will open in September.

Save the date, start planning your entry, and get ready for our biggest year yet.

 

Wakefield BID has been awarded a £600 donation from the proceeds of the Golden Envelope Draw at this year’s Wakefield Business Awards. The donation is presented annually to the winner of the Not-For-Profit/Charity of the Year category, which is free to enter and attend, ensuring accessibility for all charitable organisations.

Judges commended Wakefield BID for its “clear strategy and defined goals along with great results; evidence on return on investment from specific projects.”

Wakefield BID works to revitalise Wakefield city centre, focusing on cleanliness, safety, and creating a welcoming environment. Their initiatives include deep cleaning, graffiti removal, crime reduction partnerships, greening projects, and vibrant events such as Wakefield Pride and Wakefield Artwalk.

Thomas Wales, CEO of Wakefield BID, said:
“We’re delighted to receive this generous donation from the Wakefield Business Awards. These funds will help us to reinvest directly into community-focused activity that brings people together, supports local businesses and strengthens pride in Wakefield city centre.”

Claire Sutherley, Founder of the Wakefield Business Awards and MD of We Are Wakefield, added:
“The Awards celebrate success across Wakefield and support charities and not-for-profits by making this category free to enter, free to attend, and by providing this donation to the winner each year.”

For more information, visit Wakefield Business Awards · Representing diverse sectors around Wakefield and Five Towns

Quadruple winner at fourth Wakefield Business Awards 

More than three hundred people got their glad rags on at Tileyard North on the 13th November to celebrate the fourth Wakefield Business Awards.  

There was one clear winner from the 45 finalists on the night, with Castleford-based Solupak scooping four trophies.  

Two of the wins were for people on its team – managing director Helen McDonald was awarded business leader of the year, and temporary production operative-turned packing supervisor and sustainability and quality lead, Luke Laycock, won the rising star category for under 30s. The other two awards were for team of the year, and micro or small business of the year.  

Solupak’s wins are testament to the growth of the business, which supplies sustainable cleaning products formulated and manufactured in Castleford to 17 countries worldwide. It manufactures 12 million water-soluble sachets each year, removing the need to transport heavy, bulky water and reducing single use plastic, with the resulting environmental savings. The company counts Greggs, John Lewis, Calvin Klein and BrewDog among its clients.  

Helen McDonald, Solupak’s managing director, said: “We are shocked to have won four of the five awards we were finalists for, but the achievement is testament to the whole team and the work we’ve put in this year.  

“We are a small team of just 21 people, but our results are mighty. We’ve increased turnover 25% since 2023 and entered the consumer market for the first time in 2024. 

“Importantly for the way we run the business, we have achieved Disability Confident Level 2 certification and were placed in the top 7% of global businesses during our Ecovadis Silver sustainability certification. 

“I’m delighted to be leading such an incredible team and really grateful to every one of them for their commitment and hard work.”  

Hosted by local radio personality, David “Dixie” Dixon, the ceremony celebrated winners in 13 categories. Other award winners include Thurston Group, which won medium/large business of the year, Chris Whittam Photography, who won micro/small business of year, and Wakefield BID, which won the charity/not-for-profit category and received a donation from money raised on the night.  

Established in 2022 to celebrate the stories of businesses across the Wakefield district, the Wakefield Business Awards have grown to become a staple in the business community’s calendar.  

Awards founder and managing director of We Are Wakefield, Claire Sutherley, commented: “It’s been another brilliant night celebrating the exceptional businesses we have in the Wakefield district. From the smallest ones, often run from people’s spare rooms or by just one person, to some of the largest in the area, they all had amazing stories to tell. And every one of them makes an important contribution to our local economy.  

“The Wakefield Business Awards provide a platform for all finalists to tell their stories and shine a light on the exceptional resilience and creativity of businesses throughout Wakefield and the Five Towns.” 

With 21 judges drawn from organisations across Yorkshire, each entry is scored three times by separate judges, with the winner given to the highest-scoring entry. Highly commended prizes were given out when scores were tight at the top, with seven being awarded on the night.  

Co-founder of the awards, chair of the judges, and managing director of Wakefield-based awards specialists Awards Writers, Louise Turner, said: “We’re seeing increasing quality in the entries we receive, with the Wakefield business community really embracing the awards as an opportunity to showcase their amazing achievements.  

“In a tough economic climate, it’s incredible to be able to read so many success stories, and even better to see the celebrations when winners are announced on the night!” 

Picture attached: 

Solupak celebrates its quadruple win  

L-R technical director, Alex Thompson, national sales manager, Marcus McDonald, managing director, Helen McDonald, sustainability and quality lead, Luke Laycock, and Kevin Burgess, chairman  

Solupak and its team won: 

• Rising star (under 30) for Luke Laycock 

• Business leader of the year for its MD Helen McDonald 

• Micro/small business of the year  

• Team of the year 

Full list of winners 

• Apprentice of the year – Megan Hale, Newport Land and Law. Highly commended – Aalia Hussain, Northern Media 

• Business growth award – IRM Group 

• Business leader – Helen McDonald, Solupak. Highly commended – Nick Rushworth, IRGM Group 

• Collaboration of the year – Prosper Wakefield and Community Foundation Wakefield. Highly commended – The Yorkshire Broker for the Walk, Run, Ride Challenge 

• Doing good in business – Juice Personnel. Highly commended – Complete Care West Yorkshire 

• Digital or creative business of the year – Chris Whittam Photography. Highly commended – Databrain Solutions 

• Employer of the year – En Route Hair and Beauty 

• Medium/large business of the year – Thurston Group. Highly commended – Complete Care West Yorkshire 

• Micro/small business of the year – Solupak 

• Multicultural business of the year – Complete Care West Yorkshire 

• Not for profit/charity of the year – Wakefield BID. Highly commended – MY Hospitals Charity 

• Rising star (under 30) – Luke Laycock, Solupak. Highly commended – Vico Homes’ Eleanor Wainwright 

• Team of the year – Solupak. Highly commended – Northern Media