The Variety Club Yorkshire Business Awards

Written by James Gadsby-Peet 14th December 2009

Martin Shaw, organiser of the Variety Club Children's Charity Business Awards with guest speaker, Sir Christopher Meyer and Lady Meyer

The annual Variety Club Children's Charity Business Awards attracted over 400 members of the business community who gathered at the Queens Hotel, Leeds (Friday 11 December) to hear from keynote speaker Sir Christopher Meyer KCMG who served as Ambassador to the United States during the Clinton and George W. Bush Presidencies.

The event, which honours the region's outstanding business figures and organisations, raised over £150,000 to make a difference to the lives of disabled and disadvantaged children across the region.

This year's recipient of the Variety Club Lifetime Achievement award was Sir Gordon Linacre who was born in Sheffield. During the war he was a bomber pilot and was awarded the DFC and the Air Force Cross distinguished cross. He turned down a regular commission to pursue a successful career in journalism and in 1965 was appointed managing director of the Yorkshire Post. After merging with United Newspapers he went on to hold several senior posts within the organisation and in 1983 became its chief executive and remained chairman of Yorkshire Post Newspapers Group until 1990.

The winner of business leader of the year was Mark Fenner, chief executive of Hull-based Fenner plc, which employs more than 3,700 people worldwide and has an annual turnover in excess of £400m. The engineering firm specialises in heavyweight conveyor belting and last month announced annual results ahead of expectations.

Mark joined the board as group finance director in 1990 and was appointed as chief executive in 1994. He led the strategy of converting the group from a power transmissions manufacturer to a world leader in reinforced polymers. 

Mark Fenner, chief executive of Hull-based Fenner plc being presented with the Business Leader of the Year award by Bernard Ginns, business editor of the Yorkshire Post.

Wakefield-based The Card Factory, which was established in 1997, picked up the Board of the Year award. The Card Factory is a real Yorkshire success story and has 4000 staff and over 480 stores across the UK selling greetings cards and other items including novelties and gift wrap.

John Wakeford, managing director, Hitchenor Wakeford (sponsors of the Board of the Year award) with Richard Hayes, managing director of The Card Factory and Adrienne Lawler, presenter of the Variety Club Children's Charity Business Awards.

A company which has motored forward during the recession, Bluebird Vehicles, which is based in Scarborough won the Small Business of the Year award. The firm is the UK's leading designer and manufacturer of coach built low floor accessible vehicles. 

David Hall, managing director of YFM Private Equity Ltd presenting Robert Miller, managing director of Bluebird Vehicles with the Small Business of the Year Award

Martin Shaw, (a partner at the Leeds office of law firm Pinsent Masons) who has spearheaded the organisation of the awards on behalf of the Yorkshire Region of the Variety Club since their inception 23 years ago, said: "Once again with the generosity and support of all those who attended the awards we have raised thousands of pounds for deserving children and also honoured the ‘cream of the crop' of the region's business community."