At Chris Garland Training, we’re well aware that you are the stars of the show. Without you, lives wouldn’t be saved, food wouldn’t be prepared safely, workplace fires may happen, etc., and we couldn’t share your course fees with the organisations that we do.
This would mean that trees wouldn’t get planted around the world & educational programmes wouldn’t happen, plastics wouldn’t be removed from the UK’s beaches & the North West Air Ambulance Charity wouldn’t receive money to keep their fleet of helicopters in the air. Read more about these donations on our Impact page.
We receive amazing feedback from our customers, so we hope that we’re doing something right. In 2021, 5 years after running our first course, we entered our first awards competition and although we didn’t win, feedback and encouragement from clients has meant that we’ve entered more since then.
Here is a rundown of the nominations, shortlisting and awards that we’ve been selected to gain over the last few years:
2023, November: Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
Chris Garland Training have again been nominated for an award in the Altrincham and Sale Chamber of Commerce, Business Awards.
This year the categories and voting system have significantly changed from 2023, but we’re over the moon to have been nominated & shortlisted in the Sustainability category for the second time in consecutive years.
We became members of the the Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce in 2022 & were shortlisted for three categories in their 2022 Business Awards:
- Education and Training
- Professional Services
- Sustainability Champion
Unfortunately we didn’t win in 2022, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for 2023!
The award ceremony is taking place on the 10th November, so we’re keeping our fingers firmly crossed!
2023, November: North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
Chris Garland Training have been nominated in the North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, Business Awards 2023. Each year the Chamber run awards in several different categories.
Chris Garland Training have been nominated in the following three categories:
- Carbon Reduction Award (Shortlisted!)
- Health & Wellbeing Award (Shortlisted!)
- Small business of the year up to £1.5m turnover
The award ceremony is taking place on the 24th November, so we’re keeping our fingers firmly crossed as we’ve been shortlisted in two of the three categories!
2023, May: Federation of Small Businesses Celebrating Small Business Awards, National Finals
Chris was absolutely amazed to win this. Not expecting to win, Chris didn’t have a speech (or even an idea for a speech) prepared, so was somewhat flummoxed when Claire Balding asked, “So why do you deserve to win this award?”
Cue the laughter when JJ Chalmers followed this with; “Yeah, justify yourself!”
Winning a national award is just amazing and will spur us on to bigger and better things in the future.
2023, March: Federation of Small Businesses Celebrating Small Business Awards, North West Region
This was the first time that Chris Garland Training entered the FSB’s Celebrating Small Businesses Awards, submitting entries for the Sustainability and the Self-Employed/Freelancer categories.
Although we didn’t reach the shortlisting for the sustainability category, Chris won the Self-employed/Freelancer of the year category. Unfortunately Chris was working on the day of the awards ceremony, so wasn’t able to collect the award on the day, but the award made it’s way to us a few days later.
2022, December: Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
Chris Garland Training became members of the the Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce earlier in 2022 & subsequently received nominations for three categories in their business awards:
- Education and Training
- Professional Services
- Sustainability Champion
Having received the nominations, we then received a huge number of public votes, resulting in us being shortlisted in each of the three categories; something that we still find amazing.
Unfortunately we didn’t win this time, but being nominated for three awards, then being shortlisted for each of them is a major achievement and a win in our eyes.
2022, July: Smart Social Awards
Launched in May 2012, the Twitter based #SmartSocial Award is part of a drive to help micro and SME businesses. Each Sunday morning businesses Tweet how they use social media in their business, with entries being whittled down to find the best and most innovative uses of social media platforms. Winners are awarded the #SmartSocial Award, with the #SmartSocial hashtag now being recognised across Twitter.
2022, June: #SBS Small Business Sunday by Theo Paphitis
#SBS (Small Business Sunday) is one of the leading small business networks in the UK with over 3,750 active members.
Each week, Theo Paphitis welcomes 6 small businesses who tweet, comment or post an image to @TheoPaphitis describing their businesses to the #SBS community.
On the weekend of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Chris Garland Training were selected as one of the winners of this award, collecting our certificate from Theo at the SBS Event in February 2023.
2022, June: Barclays Entrepreneur Awards
Barclays celebrate entrepreneurs for their exceptional innovation, and for creating the social change and growth that’s moving the UK forward.
In 2022 we were nominated in the sustainability category of the awards. Although we didn’t get shortlisted, the application and voting process gave us a huge boost, not to mention access to a range of business growth and development opportunities.
2022, May: #KingOf Safety Training
During the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II, the Twitter based “Royal Connection” competition was started by Aqua Design Group.
Starting with the weekly #QueenOf competition celebrating women in business, the competition later expanded to include the #KingOf competition to celebrate men in business and #MonarchOf competition to celebrate those from the LGBTQI+ communities. #OrderOfFabulous award is awarded to reward those who support the competitions and the entrants.
2022, April: Knutsford Schools Youth Council Sustainability Award
In April 2022, we entered the Knutsford schools youth committee award for sustainability. The committee is made up from students in years 7-11, from the seven schools located in and around Knutsford.
Of all the awards that we’ve won, this is possibly the one that we’re the most proud of, because of who selected us as winners; the children themselves.
The award is presented alongside the Knutsford Town Council Awards at the same event. Read about all the finalist here.
2021, April: UK Customer Choice Awards
In 2021, buoyed by feedback and encouragement from our clients, we entered our first awards competition. Although we gained a significant number of votes, we weren’t shortlisted, but we weren’t dishearted. We simply carried on doing what we do best; teach people like you.