sponsored by KPMG and Nottinghamshire County Council

IF EVER there was a perfect metaphor for successful business growth, then Bunches of Newstead is it. This is the company which started life as a market stall in Mansfield and has developed over 20 years into a £6 million turnover business employing 40 people in custom-built premises.

And no one could say its product isn't a grower: flowers by post.

Bunches Florapost is, then, a fitting winner of the biggest accolade in Nottingham business: the Nottingham Post Business awards 2010 Company of the Year.

The award, sponsored by KPMG and Nottinghamshire County Council, crowned the 24th annual Nottingham Post Business awards and brought a glittering evening at Nottingham's Council House to a perfect conclusion.

Some of the most senior figures from across private and public sector saw Bunches Floraposts' managing director, Danielle Turner, accept the award from KPMG's senior partner, Wayne Cox, and the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Coun Kay Cutts.

But few will have been aware that she received the trophy only five weeks after giving birth to her daughter.

Danielle, 29, said her immediate plans were to get everyone together at Bunches' Newstead Village facility to enjoy a celebration drink.

Like many of her fellow business people, she was also keen to stress that it was teamwork at her company which had made the award possible.

She said: "This is absolutely brilliant. We didn't expect to win. Our team worked hard and success is never down to individuals."

What is today Bunches was founded in 1989 by Danielle's parents, Erik and Sandra Hoving, operating from a market stall in Mansfield.

Today, its 40 full-time staff are augmented by as many part-timers again to meet seasonal demand, with the business becoming so successful that it had to expand its premises with a £1 million extension only three years ago.

Significantly, Bunches Florapost also bucked the market last year: while UK flower sales declined, the firm increased sales by 15 per cent.

It now has a 12 per cent share of the flowers-by-post market in the UK, and while its flowers can still be ordered through Post Offices some 70 per cent of business comes through its own website.

Runners up in the Company of the Year Award were Icon Polymer, Source Bioscience and St Tropez Group.

Sponsored by BT Local Business East Midlands

Just like Bunches and Danielle Turner, many of the companies who won awards had stories to tell.

Adam Pye, managing director of auction house John Pye & Sons freely admitted to being "gobsmacked" after he was called forward to receive the Best Use of IT and Communications Award, which was sponsored by BT Local Business East Midlands.

He paid tribute to all the firm's staff, but picked out for a special mention: "The person I'm really thrilled for is the YTS who joined us 20 years ago and didn't think much of his abilities.

"He is Grifty McGriff, the self-taught genius who can do anything with IT and developed our market-leading software.

"He isn't here tonight because he wouldn't want the limelight but he has made such a difference."

Mr Pye added: "Now that we've won this award I feel slightly embarrassed when I think of the people we were up against. I'm just grateful that it was us."

Runners-up in the Best use of IT and Communications Award were betterlanguages.com and Heart Internet.

Sponsored by Browne Jacobson

Business was unlikely to do anything other than take off for Upper Cut Productions, the aerial photography firm which walked away with first prize in the Business Innovation award, sponsored by law firm Browne Jacobson.

Director Chris Wilkinson says his business, which uses tiny radio-controlled helicopters to take pictures up to 400ft in the air, is constantly evolving.

It started out with a four-rotor helicam, switched to a eight-rotor model and is about to take delivery of a 12-rotor model capable of carrying a heavyweight digital SLR camera high into the air.

Upper Cut's innovative idea is catching on, with a customer base which includes English Heritage, property agent Knight Frank, a number of other firms in architecture, property and construction, and even the BBC and Channel 4.

"The new helicam is going to mean significant improvement for us," said Chris. "I'm blown away by this award. It's the first award we've actually won and I'm just totally ecstatic."

Runners up in the category were Challenge Consultants and Peelable Posters.

Sponsored by Business Link

It was second time around for the winners of the Nottinghamshire Small Business of the Year, educational software business Prime Principle, which was also an award-winner two years ago.

Director Chris Scarth said: "I am surprised. We won two years ago and we were a finalist last year.

"I think it is becoming more and more difficult to compete successfully. We were up against stiffer and stiffer competition.

"But I am overjoyed. we have doubled turnover from £520,000 to £1.2 million in two years."

Runners up in the Business Link-sponsored small business category were betterlanguages.com and Phoenix CNC Engineering.

Sponsored by Nottingham City Council

Underlining the value of taking a trophy in the Nottingham Post Business Awards, Nick Barker said it would add credibility to his business, Aware Monitoring.

The company, that has developed systems which warns businesses if their websites or applications are malfunctioning, took top prize in the Nottingham City Council-sponsored New Enterprise of the year Award.

The business got going only a matter of months ago, but it is already beating its business forecasts on the back of new customer wins.

Director Nick Barker said: "This means credibility for us, which is extremely important in view of all the hard work we've put into this.

"This is so important to our business because our business is all about trust – people being able to trust the applications and websites we monitor for our customers and customers being able to trust us."

Aware Monitoring beat off competition in the New Enterprise award from A Star Media and Cherry Professional.

Sponsored by East Midlands Development Agency

With sales doubling to more than £5 million in the past 12 months, James Smith has every right to be proud.

Now, the boss of broad-based building services firm T&S group has a trophy to match, having walked away with the Nottinghamshire Businessperson of the Year award.

The founder managing director of the business took the East Midlands Development Agency-sponsored award on the back of his decision to diversify a business which formerly focused on electrical services for retail into design, metalwork, mechanical engineering, furniture for the public sector and aluminium doors, windows and walls.

This is a man who saw recession coming, and his smart diversification has meant the business now employs more than 100 people.

Runners-up in his category were Hall-Fast Industrial Supplies founder Malcolm Hall and Columbus IT managing director Mary Hunter.