THE shortlist has been announced for the Somerset Business Awards 2024, with companies, charities and individuals from across the county vying for the honours.

Judges faced a tough time whittling down the huge number of entries for the 2024 awards, which are run annually by Somerset Chamber of Commerce.

The 2024 shortlisted nominees come from all corners of the county, including Bridgwater, Merriott, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Highbridge, West Pennard, Blackford, Norton Fitzwarren, Roadwater, Mark, Wellington, Langport, Yeovil, Midsomer Norton, Shepton Mallet, Minehead, Frome, Curry Rivel, Stoke St Michael, Wells, Bleadon, Burrowbridge, Crewkerne, Glastonbury and Watchet.

This year is the 19th anniversary of the awards, which are again supported by main sponsor Albert Goodman. The grand final will be hosted by Global broadcast journalist Cormac MacMahon at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, in Weston-super-Mare, on March 22, 2024.

The finalists will be announced at the beginning of February, following visits by the judges.

Somerset Chamber Chief Executive, Emma Rawlings, thanked everyone who had entered the awards and said the most hotly contested categories had included Service Excellence, Small Business of the Year and Employer of the Year.

She added: "It was great to see so many entries from both Chamber members and non-members from all corners of the county, representing a wide range of sectors and industries.

"In fact, there were so many high-quality entries this year, some of the categories have a record number of shortlisted entrants!

"I am really looking forward to the final as it always a great opportunity to celebrate the successes and achievements of Somerset's many incredible businesses and organisations."

The shortlisted companies, charities, individuals and organisations are:

Small Business of the Year (turnover up to £0.5 million) sponsored by Gather Technology Ltd

Alpha Housing Services Limited, Taunton

ARK at Egwood CIC, Merriott

Fit Food Tasty, Bridgwater

Little Kickers (North and Mid Somerset), Weston-super-Mare

Sonder Digital, Taunton

Talking Stick Digital, Bridgwater

The Digital Cogs, Highbridge

The Social Lemon, Weston-super-Mare

Medium Business of the Year (turnover up to £6 million) sponsored by Higos Insurance Services

Clarkson and Woods Limited, Blackford

Container Team Ltd, Weston-super-Mare

Elliott Environmental Services Ltd, Yeovil

Family Adventures Group, Bridgwater

Filbert's Fine Foods Ltd, West Pennard

Netitude Ltd, Frome

Large Business of the Year (turnover over £6 million) sponsored by Stephens Scown

Bridgwater & Taunton College, Bridgwater

Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton

Somerset Passenger Solutions, Bridgwater

Synertec, Wellington

Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities, Bridgwater

Albert Goodman Family Business of the Year Award

Container Team Ltd, Weston-super-Mare

Hippychick Ltd, Bridgwater

Mark One Consultants, Yeovil

Melhuish and Saunders, Glastonbury

Summerfield Developments, Taunton

The Ascot Group, Weston-super-Mare

Walker and Ling, Weston-super-Mare

Best Use of Digital Technology Award sponsored by Teapot Creative

Glastonbury Abbey, Glastonbury

Mark One Consultants, Yeovil

Presona UK Ltd, Bridgwater

Somerset County Cricket Club, Taunton

Somerset Passenger Solutions, Bridgwater

Charity of the Year Award sponsored by Clarke Willmott

bibic, Langport

It's in the Bag Cancer Support, North Somerset

St Margaret's Hospice Care, Taunton

SWALLOW Charity, Midsomer Norton

The Henhayes Centre, Crewkerne

The Royal Bath & West of England Society, Shepton Mallet

Employer of the Year sponsored by Blossom HR

Lendology CIC, Taunton

Netitude Ltd, Frome

Poolbridge Accountancy Limited, Highbridge

Singer Instruments, Roadwater

Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities, Bridgwater

WPA, Taunton

Investing in Somerset Award sponsored by Hinkley Point C

Battens Solicitors, Yeovil

Bridgwater & Taunton College, Bridgwater

Somerset Automotive, Watchet

The Ascot Group, Weston-super-Mare

Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities Ltd, Bridgwater

Start-up of the Year Award sponsored by Westcotts

Eating Disorder Recovery Ltd, Bridgwater

Milton and Chambers, Wellington

Our Precious Earth, Minehead

Serenity Women's Clinic, Taunton

The Cancer Screening Trust, Yeovil

The Giftie Company Ltd, Norton Fitzwarren

Wessex Pop-Up Coldrooms Ltd, Curry Rivel

Apprentice of the Year Award sponsored by Weston College

Lendology CIC – Jack Parnell, Taunton

Poolbridge Accountancy Limited – Chloe Smith, Highbridge

Poolbridge Accountancy Limited – Lakiesha Baker, Highbridge

SBA CIC – Natasha Margetts, Langport

Somerset Automotive – Luke Cardwell, Watchet

Turnbull Infrastructure and Utilities – Ryan Jones, Bridgwater

Environmental and Sustainability Award sponsored by Gravity

Balanced Energy Ltd, Bridgwater

Cookswood Development – Lomax Design and Build, Stoke St Michael

Green Sense Events Ltd, Wells

Lendology CIC, Taunton

Riverside Holiday Village, Bleadon

RocketGro Peat-Free Composts, Bridgwater

Somerlap Forest Products Ltd, Mark

West Country Drainage Services Ltd, Burrowbridge

Zebra EM, Taunton

Service Excellence Award sponsored by Porter Dodson

Alpha Housing Services Limited, Taunton

Container Team Ltd, Weston-super-Mare

Family Adventures Group, Bridgwater

Jays Logistics (South West) Ltd, Highbridge

Nest GI, Weston-super-Mare

Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton

Talking Stick Digital, Bridgwater

The Royal Bath & West of England Society, Shepton Mallet

West Country Drainage Services Ltd, Burrowbridge

Manufacturing and Engineering Award sponsored by Leonardo UK

Electrified Automation, Bridgwater

Presona UK Ltd, Bridgwater

Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Taunton

Teklagraf Ltd, Weston-super-Mare

Business Resilience and Growth Award sponsored by Barclays UK

ARK at Egwood CIC, Merriott

Family Adventures Group, Bridgwater

Purplex Marketing, Weston-super-Mare

Somerset Passenger Solutions, Bridgwater

The Middlewick, Glastonbury

The Somerset Business Awards 2024 media sponsors are Newsquest and the Somerset County Gazette Series and Global.