Businesses relish in awards success

LAST Friday at Be.Bendigo’s annual celebration of local companies and enterprises, the Bendigo Business Excellence Awards, Bendigo Pottery was named Bendigo Bank Business of the Year.

Co-owner Sally Thomson, who runs the pottery with husband Rod, said the awards gave them a chance to reflect on how they have pushed the business forward in the last two years.

“We had been growing prior to the pandemic and changing markets… the product range has changed, the customers have grown, and the nature of what we were making has increased in volume and diversity,” she said.

“In hindsight there’s been so much happening in the last few years, the business is really prospering, it’s doing fantastically.”

Bendigo Pottery, established in 1958, is one of the region’s oldest businesses and Australia’s oldest working pottery.

The pottery also won the Thales – Manufacturing and Innovation Award, and Ms Thomson said they have been focusing on high market collaborations.

The pottery is working with Melbourne-based lighting designers and has an expanded homewares and cookery range. It is also producing tiles used in the new Bendigo Law Courts.

Ms Thomson credited the business’ experienced employee base for the award, especially their flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In a small workplace you tend to move people around so they’re not doing the same job all the time,” she said.

“We have flexibility in our employees… having that highly skilled and dedicated employee base is really critical.”

Be.Bendigo deputy chair of board of directors Nick Carter addresses the award ceremony’s 500 guests.

Five-hundred guests attended the awards’ ceremony, in a return to the face-to-face format after two years of COVID-19 pandemic-impacted events.

In the All Seasons Hotel – Hospitality Excellence award, the Cambrian Hotel finally claimed victory in a category they have been nominated for several times.

Chef and co-owner Andrew Carswell said it’s an honour to join past winners including The Dispensary and Indulge Fine Belgian Chocolates as the latest recipients of the award.

“We’ve participated in the BBEAs a number of times and have found it to be an excellent benchmark in terms of where our business is at,” he said.

“Bendigo punches far above its weight in terms of hospitality venues, so to be judged number one this year is a huge thrill, especially after the goings on of the past few years.

“It’s something we could never have achieved without the support of our customers, local suppliers and all the amazing independent breweries we’ve championed for almost a decade.”

The winners on the night were:

Bendigo Advertiser – Customer Focused Award

Lifely

City of Greater Bendigo – Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

Spotless

WIN Network – Emerging and Energised Award

Treehouse Paediatrics

Agnico Eagle – Community Minded Award

Discovery Science and Technology Centre

Monash University – Health and Care Award

Eaglehawk UFA

All Seasons Hotel – Hospitality Excellence Award