Independent Business Award - double win!
How it all started:
The Portland Business Awards ceremony took place in June 2025 and we were both there to receive ours. What a wonderful way to celebrate 10 years of friendship and slowly moving from our self propelling hobby to Anaick's growing ceramics workshops business.
How it continued:
You can imagine how incredibly excited we were when the next email arrived letting us know that the jury had selected Happy you And Mee for the next round of awards, going up a level to the 'West Dorset Business Awards'. Just being nominated at this level was such an important recognition to the Happy tiny business!
Anaick attended the awards ceremony at the Highlands End Holliday Park in Eype near Bridport which looked stunning on a beautifully sunny Dorset summer day. Their extensive bar, restaurant and reception room were the perfect venue for the day. Staff made sure that everyone had plenty of water and enjoyed the freshly prepared buffet.
The awards began with the hosts and sponsors saying a few words. Duncan McKechnie's of ActionCOACH Dorset inspirational speech taking the opportunity to give all the business representatives in the room strong and clear advise on how to make the best of their nominations and wins. Exactly what we all needed to hear, the definite sign of a good coach.
Winners were announced by categories starting with local charities and businesses receiving awards for their Community Support roles. The Bridport Foodbank and Home Start Wessex and Dorset Neuro Rehab were all recognised in this category.
When the Independent Business Award category came up, Anaick's heart was going at over 160bpms! Being called to receive the silver award and telling everybody how Happy You and Mee started 10 years ago just added to the emotions and it took a while for it the settle down afterwards.
It was such a pleasure to also be there to cheer for other Portland businesses who were awarded the New Business Award: Ice Ice Kayla and Rock Rose Specialist Cleaning Solutions who received the B2B Business Award. Three Portland female led businesses raising up the flag for our beautiful island. You could really tell how much it means to each of them.
Can you spot the error on this photo? It is actually a good metaphor for how Anaick feels when attending any networking or official business meetings. After having worked with children and teens for over 30 years, it is proving to be quite a challenge to step up and adapt to the business world. She's learning and it will get better, hopefully! If you have any tips on how to confidently mingle at networking events, please leave them for her in the comments below, she could do with a little help!
The awards are organised to allow for plenty of networking after the main ceremony and everybody enjoyed a complementary drink and chat in the glorious afternoon sun. What a day!
Photography by Marketing West.