Society HQ looked a little different after around 100 guests came together in Marischal Square for a night of celebration.
From excellent wine to a mountain of cheese, what warranted the occasion in the first place?
The Society Awards 2022 of course, well, the warm-up at least!
Held in association with Aberdeen Inspired, the awards aim to recognise and reward hard-working businesses within Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire‘s retail, wellbeing, lifestyle, food and drink sectors.
We put out the call for applications earlier this year, and you did not disappoint.
The standard of entries was incredibly high, and our expert judging panel had quite the task deciding who would make the shortlist.
But after much deliberation, we were able to reveal our finalists, and the response alone was heartwarming.
Cream of the crop
It can be easy to forget that at the centre of every business, is a person.
Quite often a family, or even friends, have come together over a shared vision.
I’ve been lucky enough to interview so many small business owners, to find out what’s going on behind the scenes.
And you haven’t had it easy, from the pandemic to the rising cost of living.
Each and every finalist is a winner in my eyes, and that’s why we welcomed all our finalists for a Society soiree, also known as a sponsors and finalists party.
Without the support of our sponsors, we couldn’t hold the awards in the first place and it was fantastic to have everyone together.
The big night will take place on November 10 at Sandman Signature Hotel, but we wanted to celebrate beforehand.
All our guests enjoyed a fabulous platter, by the aptly named Platter.
It’s no coincidence that we chose a small, family-run Aberdeenshire business to create the ultimate grazing table with a distinct autumn theme.
Platter worked in collaboration with The Fat Pigeon Wine Company, who very kindly kept people’s glasses topped up all night with the perfect complementary tipple.
You can read about them in due course, but in the meantime, Society writer Rosemary Lowne mingled with our guests.
What did our guests have to say?
Lauren Brook, who is the owner of Butterfly Effect, is in the running for our brand new category, The Eco Award.
“We never expected it, it’s staggering to be in the final,” she said.
“We have been told that it was hard for the judges to choose the finalists because there were so many amazing entries so never in a million years did we think we would be in the final, it’s incredible.
“We’re delighted to be finalists alongside Highland Moss and The Liberty Kitchen as we’re all trying to do the same thing for the environment and to make a difference.”
Justin Mackland of Ishoka is up for a Hair and Beauty award and believes the awards have given a boost to many.
“It’s incredible to be recognised locally as I’m still very early in my career,” said Justin.
“Events like this are the boost we need especially after lockdown.”
Catching up with Society Award sponsors
We also caught up with some of our sponsors, including headline sponsor Aberdeen Inspired.
“Aberdeen Inspired is delighted to be the headline sponsor of the Society Awards and we look forward, through the awards, to showcasing all the great and innovative businesses that make up the heart of city and wider north-east business community,” said Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired.
“The awards present an opportunity for business owners to showcase what they do and the part they play in making Aberdeen and the shire a great place to live, work and play.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, and fellow sponsors agree.
Atholl Scott Financial Services is sponsoring our newcomer category, and made sure to chat to all the finalists during the evening.
“We were delighted to be involved with the Society Awards, especially during a time when businesses were looking to move forwards from a challenging time,” said director Debbie Mitchell.
“As a successful local firm, it is important for Atholl Scott Financial Services to be associated with celebrating the best of Aberdeen and the Shire.”
We also caught up with Fraser Carr, who is sales and marketing director at Cala, sponsor of our Eco award.
“Cala are delighted to be involved with the Society Awards and see it make a much-welcomed return in 2022 to showcase some of the great things happening across our vibrant city,” he said.
“We are looking forward to the awards ceremony next month.”
Speaking of which, we only have a handful of tickets left if you want to be there on the night.
It promises to be a fantastic evening, so join us in celebrating the very best of the north-east.
Click here to secure your spot.
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