Cumbria came together to celebrate its brightest businesses and most innovative minds within the energy sector at the Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC) Awards night, held at Energus.
A green and silver wonderland greeted hundreds of attendees last Thursday, November 21, as the evening recognised achievements across a range of categories, showcasing the region’s innovation, creativity, and commitment to growth.
John Grainger, head judge of the BECBC Awards, said: “The standard of entries this year was truly exceptional, demonstrating the depth of talent, innovation, and dedication across our business community. Each winner has excelled in their field, embodying the very best of what Cumbria has to offer.
“It’s always an honour to witness such a vibrant celebration of hard work and success.”
Hosted by Samantha Down, client relationship manager at 32West, the event brought together members of the energy and business community to share achievements and forge stronger connections.
Samantha said: “It was a brilliant evening full of positivity and celebration in a room filled with energy. Taking a step back and seeing everyone enjoy themselves, coming together to honour each other’s achievements, was such a joy. Congratulations to all the winners, who are shining examples of what collaboration and hard work can achieve here in Cumbria.”
The awards covered everything from Business of the Year to Rising Star.
Sellafield Ltd’s Emerging Technology Team won the Innovation and Creativity Award. Neil Brown and his team, based at the Engineering Centre of Excellence in Cleator Moor, were recognised for their innovative use of virtual reality (VR) in upskilling their workforce.
Neil said: “The feedback we’ve received about the programme has been beyond our wildest expectations. Virtual reality is transforming training, moving away from traditional methods like PowerPoints to something truly immersive. We’re proud to lead this shift at Sellafield, turning VR from a one-off initiative into a standard practice for upskilling. This award is a testament to the power of innovation in changing the future of our workforce.”
The Harrison Network won the Performance Culture Award, impressing the judges with their strong team values and commitment to cultivating an empowering workplace culture.
Heather Grisdale from The Harrison Network commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to win this award. It feels like a reflection of everything we’ve worked so hard to achieve over the past year.
This recognition validates the strong, values-driven culture we’ve built – a culture that truly resonates with our team and amplifies excellence in everything we do. That excellence ripples externally into the work we do with our clients, creating a multiplier effect.”
Delkia won the Growing Business Award, earning high praise for their clear vision and sustained growth since 2019, driven by investments in people and future technologies.
Beeby Bell, growth and strategy director for clean ernergy (nuclear), said: “We’re thrilled to win the Growing Business Award. At Delkia, we’re dedicated to investing in R&D, emerging technologies, and our talented team.
“Tonight, we celebrate our apprentices, employees, and the progress we’ve made together. This award reflects the foundation we’ve built for continued growth in revenue and innovation. I was delighted to share the stage with two of our apprentices, Zakiya Rashid and Hayden Bound.”
With over 21 years of championing businesses in the region, BECBC continues to foster collaboration and celebrate excellence in Cumbria’s energy sector supply chain.
John added: “We couldn’t do these events without the support of all our sponsors—from our main sponsor, Sellafield Ltd, to the SMEs who found room in their budgets to support such a fantastic evening.
“By coming together, we empower each other, creating the momentum needed to drive growth for our county and our companies. Congratulations to all finalists and winners—it’s your hard work that keeps Cumbria thriving.”
The Great North Air Ambulance was named BECBC’s Charity of the Year for 2025 after winning the Charity or Social Enterprise Award.
Winners
- Rising Star: Hannah Pears, Industrial Solutions Hub
- Business Person of the Year: Craig Hatch, Tetra Tech
- BECBC Ambassador of the Year: Emma-Jayne Gooch, Plain Purpose
- Innovation & Creativity: Sellafield Ltd’s Emerging Technology Team
- Social Value: Amentum. Highly commended: Forth
- Environmental: Energus
- Performance culture: Harrison Network
- Empowering the Next Generation: Realise HR
- Partnership: Energy Coast UTC & Morgan Sindall
- Growing Business: Delkia
- Micro-business: Natterjack Marketing
- Charity or Social Enterprise of the Year: GNAAS
- Business of the Year: Core Nuclear Solutions
