Winners leading from the front

Brinsley Sheridan, the former Bradford City footballer turned regeneration specialist, won The Impact Award for his work with RE:GEN Group, which partners with local authorities and builders to create and improve social housing.

Sheridan was recognised for his industry impact and dedication to enriching communities; he has trained 250 people from social housing to gain construction skills and driving qualifications, allowing them to access new careers. “We run six-week boot camps and recruit for ourselves, but also recruit for the wider industry in our supply chain,” he explains.

Jo Tutchener Sharp, founder of clothing firm Scamp & Dude, picked up The Purpose Award for her charitable work and compassion for those in need. Over 52,000 Super Scarves have been sent to women undergoing cancer treatment, while Sleep Buddy teddies are given to kids who need “a superhero to watch over them”.

This B Corp proves that fashion can be kind and still grow at pace. Scamp & Dude has more than doubled revenues over the past three years.

“I remember the letters from the women who’ve received our scarves or from parents whose child was given a Sleep Buddy in hospital,” says Tutchener Sharp. “That’s what keeps me going. It’s got to be authentic and real and heartfelt.”

GAP Group North East founder Peter Moody received acclaim for his circular-economy business, which he launched in 2005. Moody now recycles 700,000 fridges a year. “People have a duty of care and a legal responsibility to dispose of their waste correctly,” he says.

The former Navy corporal won The ESG Award for creating the most environmentally friendly fridge-recycling facility in the world, alongside his programme that donates bundles of white goods to young adults coming out of care.

Ancient + Brave is a wellness brand with a difference. Its collagen comes from meat industry waste that would otherwise be discarded, and founder Kate Prince has engineered the business to be as sustainable as possible.

Her dedication to people and planet has resonated with consumers, and the brand has grown 1,000 per cent over the past three years, prompting the judges to award Prince The Growth Award. “We’ve got a very trusted audience, who I think are becoming fans,” she says. “They trust us, and they know that we’re going to bring out the right products for them.”

The Disruptor Award was presented to Robert Oates, founder of Arbtech, which offers ecological reports in 24 hours when the industry average can be a month or more. All the judges noted that Oates was a pioneer in his field, and deserved recognition for providing a game-changing service to customers. “People have been conditioned to want things quickly,” says Oates. “We charge a premium for speed.”

Hellen Bowey, founder of Alcove, was recognised with The Rising Star Award. Her Colchester-based care company helps the elderly retain their independence through intuitive technology. “One guy reads Sherlock Holmes over the video with his carer,” says Bowey. “It gives people a sense of connectedness.”

Finally, the Highly Commended: One to Watch Award went to Glenn Powell, CEO of a software development company that is going from strength to strength: Formus Pro. The business is helping customers of all kinds to digitally transform the way they work.

Alumni Award: Diptesh Patel, UBDS Group

UBDS Group founder aims to use his firm’s resources to motivate the young, help others develop their ideas into great businesses and create social value.

As part of this year’s programme, LDC has revisited the stories of some of The LDC Top 50 alumni to see where they are now. This has included Join Talent’s Katrina Hutchinson O’Neill and Emma O’Brien of Embridge Consulting.

This year, however, The Alumni Award goes to Diptesh Patel, founder and CEO of digital transformation agency UBDS Group. Since featuring in The LDC Top 50 in 2022, Patel has almost tripled the headcount of the business, boosted its client base by 60 per cent and completed its first acquisition.

He is also making strides towards realising another big ambition of his – helping future entrepreneurs by turning his agency into an incubator for high-growth innovators with big ideas. “It aligns with my own personal ambition to give back,” he says. “Helping others keeps me motivated.”

Over the next couple of years, Patel will use the processes, resources and experience within UBDS Group to help other leaders scale their ideas. “I want to help other entrepreneurs build their own businesses,” he adds. “The first few years can be hard – I know that first hand.”

Creating social value has long been a mission of Patel’s. As well as the work UBDS Group does with public-sector projects, the agency is driven to bring new skills into the industry. It has developed an apprenticeship scheme and an initiative for former military personnel.

The group also has an eye firmly on the environment. “We are committed to carbon reduction and social value creation,” he says. “We are on the journey to becoming a B Corp this year and we will be net zero by 2027.”

This dedication to social value is certainly not at odds with commercial success. The agency is on target to reach £35 million turnover by 2026.