The Bolton News Business Awards are back for 2024 and we’re shining a spotlight on this year's sponsors.

The event, which this year has Bolton Council and Leisure Guard Security as headline sponsors, will take place on Friday, September 20 in the Premier Suite at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

The awards celebrate achievement and highlight successful and innovative companies doing fantastic things in the Bolton area.

Today, we're looking at Orbit Development - sponsor of SME Business of the Year.

(Image: Newsquest)

What inspired your business to sponsor The Bolton News Business Awards this year? 

As a significant stakeholder in the Bolton Economy, Orbit have always valued the contributions of smaller, independent enterprises and what they bring to the town and the wider community.

We have seen many businesses grow and flourish over the last 20 years including customers such as AO.com, Scan Computers and many others during that time. This is why the sector is so important to Orbit and how we can encourage the growth and development of emerging businesses.   

How does sponsoring these awards align with your company's values and objectives?

We have so many smaller and independent businesses within our portfolio, we provide amenities and support to assist with their ambition and objectives. It is such an important part of what we do to create incubator environments where businesses can flourish.

What specific outcomes or benefits are you hoping to achieve through your sponsorship? 

Orbit can sometimes be associated just with Middlebrook and other larger schemes around Bolton, however we have many diverse property solutions and the support of the SME sector aligns so well with our new and exciting opportunity, Orbit Spaces.

This gives greater flexibility for clients on how they may wish to grow and contract their space requirements dependent on market conditions at any particular time.

We’ve listened to our clients and they have guided that they would like better quality space with more flexibility that supports more independent businesses and SMEs.

Why do you believe it is important to support these awards and continue highlighting Bolton and what its businesses have to offer?

Doing business in Bolton is core to what Orbit is about, we have been invested in the town for more than 20 years and have developed some fantastic relationships across all levels of business and the public sector.

Bolton is on the verge of a change in its placemaking and narrative to the wider marketplace. These awards feature the best of what is great about Bolton and this culture of friendliness and a positive attitude is what makes Bolton so special at this fantastic time of change for the town.  

What led your company to choose to sponsor this particular category?

The SME sector is the innovative and creative heartbeat of a town’s business infrastructure. The energy and enthusiasm generated by the business owners and their colleagues can be infectious.

I enjoy working with independent businesses across many towns in the North West and we appreciate so much what they bring to the overall image of what a town stands for and represents.

I am always astounded by the creativity that these business leaders bring to their companies and how they can inform and change perceptions of a town’s business heritage and re-position perceptions of what is happening in a town within its business community.

What are the upcoming plans or future goals for your business? 

The vision for Orbit over the next five to 10 years is to increase engagement with the business community and public sector within Bolton. We have been a partner in the business community within Stockport, Macclesfield and Wilmslow and seen some transformational achievements.

Bolton has the opportunity to go from good to great and it just needs to be unlocked. We are definitely part of that future strategy for the town.

If you'd like to buy tickets for the awards, visit: https://store.newsquest.co.uk/the-bolton-news-business-awards-2024-tickets.