Fresh Start on the road to awards success.

Fresh Start are one of only eight companies to be shortlisted in the ‘North and Northern Ireland’ category of the ‘People’s Choice’ Award – and the only one in Greater Manchester that’s led by a female Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

An online public vote will determine the winner of the ‘People’s Choice’ Award for each region across the UK, with the closing date to have your say set for Tuesday, 30 April.

“We are delighted to be in contention for such a prestigious award,” said Nicola McGrath, who is our CEO. “Our vision is to lead the way in waste management across the North West and I am very proud of what my family and our staff have achieved locally in the past 14 years.

‘In addition to employing more than 100 people, we’ve sponsored community groups ranging from under 10s rugby to children’s football clubs, as well as bowling tournaments and even an arm-wrestling champion! We’ll be unveiling our chosen ‘Charity of the Year’ shortly, alongside an exciting scheme to offset our carbon footprint. Representing Greater Manchester in these awards means everything to us and we hope to do the region proud.”

Here are some interesting facts about our business:

•  We have recycled the equivalent weight of 10 million wine bottles
•  The energy saved through our glass recycling efforts would be sufficient to wash more than 14 million football kits
•  We have recycled the equivalent of 50,000 Scottish pines in card
•  Our mixed municipal waste that is sent for waste to energy generates enough electricity to power 2.5 million computer screens for an hour
•  Our recovered waste food generates enough green energy to cook more than 150,000 roast dinners

Fresh Start was founded in 2005 by Nicola and her father Paul Rogers. Her brother Paul Rogers Jnr is a Non-Executive Director; her sister-in-law Emma Rogers is our Operations Co-Ordinator; and her niece Brooklyn Rogers is nearly two years into completing an NVQ in Business Administration.

“Transport and logistics are male-dominated industries, but this business has a father and daughter partnership behind the wheel,” added Nicola. “This nomination shows we’re travelling in a very exciting direction – developing a business that genuinely cares about its workforce and aims to get bigger and better every day.

‘In relation to the ‘People’s Choice Award’, it’s free and takes only seconds to register a vote for Fresh Start online, so we would be very grateful to anyone who feels they can take a moment to show us some much-appreciated support prior to the closing date.”

The award winners will be announced at a gala reception taking place at The May Fair Hotel in London on Thursday, 6 June.

The ‘Family Business of the Year’ Awards were created by Family Business United to celebrate the UK family business sector, to recognise the diversity of family firms across the country and to celebrate the contribution that they make.

Winners will be selected regionally and from a number of industry sectors, with an overall winner of the title ‘Family Business of the Year’, as well as the special ‘People’s Choice’ Award, which recognises the public’s favourite family-run enterprise.

To vote for us, please visit the Family Business United website and click Fresh Start’s blue ‘Vote Now’ button.