The OXBA's celebrates Oxfordshire's finest firms and enterprising entrepreneurs Play2Give was thrilled to be part of these prestigious business Oscars as we was shortlisted for a top accolade - the Charity & Community Award. This year's Charity & Community Award was an interactive category, with the winner decided for by the audience on the night via an app downloaded to their phones. Each of the charities finalists videos were played to the audience to help the guests deliver their verdict on who should win.
We was in contention with Oxford-based mental health charity, Restore, and the wonderful family centre, Donnington Doorstep, also in Oxford. Whilst we did not win, we were delighted to have been selected as finalists, and putting Didcot on the map, in such a top honour, and to be amongst two wonderful big Oxford charities. We wholeheartedly congratulate Restore on their well-deserved win, in a voting system which, at one point in the second round of voting, saw Play2Give topping the lead, until the final few seconds.
Last year's winner of The Oxford Times Charity & Community Award, SpecialEffect, who we have supported in the past, received over £3,000 from a fundraising collection on the night. The Charlbury-based charity designs video games equipment boosting the lives of young people with severe physical and mental health difficulties.
Our Andy and Luke was amongst 400 people who attended the glitzy black-tie gala. The awards, now in their 24th year, saw 13 categories in total dished out with all category winners having the chance to scoop the overall Hawkins Business of the Year Award.
The awards were held at the award-winning and futuristic John Henry Brookes building at Oxford Brookes University's Headington campus with an amazing evening, including a drinks reception kickstarting the night's proceedings, a 3-course meal and of course the main event itself - the award ceremony hosted by TV's Chris Hollins, who won BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2009. The event gave businesses an opportunity to get together, meet, network and mingle whilst celebrating the entrepreneurial successes of the county.
Oxford Mail: ALL THE WINNERS Oxfordshire Business Awards 2018