Essex Chambers of Commerce held its annual Festival of Business on 13 November at Chelmsford City Racecourse. Despite the autumnal chill and challenging traffic conditions in the morning it was very well attended, with over 100 exhibitors and in excess of 700 attendees.
This event showcases and celebrates the best of Essex business and any gloom provoked by the recent Budget was largely shrugged off – Essex businesses are a resilient lot – as the sun eventually came out and people mingled and networked freely and productively.
Alongside the exhibition a programme of interesting and entertaining speakers was expertly compered by Etholle George. A panel of judges adjudicated on the three worthy finalists of the Chambers’ Best in Business Awards: Zest Recycle, First Intuition and Miru Visuals. All three gave excellent presentations of how their business has excelled but there could be only one winner and the judges chose Miru Visuals, a Southend-based SME specialising in videographic, drone and other technologies supporting marketing and PR for high profile clients in the construction and property sectors.
Miru Visuals Managing Director, Billy Haynes, commented on their win saying;
“To win the Best in Business award has been brilliant. We have such an amazing team, delivering outstanding projects and campaigns for our clients, and for that commitment to be recognised is truly something special.
“As a business, we’re normally laser-focused on our clients and giving them our full attention, so it’s rare to have a moment in the spotlight but something we’re incredibly honoured by.
“I’m most proud of the approach we have away from the ‘work’, it’s the social aspect and supporting initiatives, helping others and ultimately growing the business in the right way. From that aspect, this award is extremely meaningful and now it’s proudly at the heart of our office.”
Guest speakers included Councillor Tony Ball from the main event sponsors Essex County Council and Joe Denham, Chairman and Chief Executive of Vegtrug Ltd. But star of the show was guest of honour Dame Prue Leith who entertained her audience with some amusing anecdotes about her early life and career, which began uncertainly and not without mishap (one very funny one involving a bathplug being plucked from a salad) but has blossomed and spread in all sorts of unforeseen directions.
