Friday 2 January 2026

This year has been nothing short of phenomenal for Hardy Signs as we navigate an incredibly busy awards season. We are beyond thrilled with the sheer number of nominations we’ve received. We’re proud to announce that we’ve not only made it to the finalist stage in several prestigious categories but have also taken home some exciting wins. We’ll take you through chronologically.

 

Sponsorship

This year, we had the pleasure of sponsoring not one but two fantastic awards. The first was the Burton & South Derbyshire College “Creative and Innovative Thinking” award at the Further Education and Apprenticeship Awards, held at the Pirelli Stadium. It was inspiring to witness some of the fantastic talents of the next generation within our community. The second award we sponsored was the “Innovation and Technology” award at the Generation Next Awards, hosted at the vibrant Bustler Market in Derby. This awards ceremony honoured individual accomplishments and created a vibrant community for the region’s young entrepreneurs and leaders. That same night, our former marketing executive, Morgan, was a finalist in the “Creators and Makers” category – a testament to his phenomenal content creation skills and hard work during his time at Hardy Signs. 

Enterprising Women Awards 

We enjoyed attending the annual East Midlands Chamber Enterprising Women summer social and awards announcement at the beautiful Kilworth House in May. We were incredibly honoured to learn that our marketing manager, Blu Hardy, became a finalist for the ‘Social Commitment Award.’ This recognition is a reflection of Blu’s ongoing work to make a positive change within the community. 

Midlands Air Ambulance Recognition Awards 

Next, we attended the Midlands Air Ambulance Recognition Awards and Charity Ball, where they broke their fundraising record, raising an incredible £85,560 – enough to fund 55 vital missions! Team Hardy Signs was delighted to be a finalist for the Corporate Partnership Award, which was awarded to a deserving organisation that demonstrated hard work, initiative, and commitment through their CSR policy to raise awareness and vital donations for the charity. 

Greater BYPY Awards 

Now, we move on to the BYPY (Birmingham Young Professional of the Year) Awards 2024, part of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, where we celebrate the talents and achievements of young professionals across diverse industries in the Greater Birmingham area. Blu Hardy was a finalist for the Social, Environmental Governance Award for her extensive work and dedication to advancing initiatives that support community well-being and create positive social impact.

Midlands Family Business Awards 

We were excited to attend the Family Business Awards, hosted at the breathtaking Athena in Leicester. The venue’s elegant Art Deco surroundings provided the perfect backdrop for a glamorous night filled with the celebration of excellence and the unique spirit that family-owned enterprises bring to the business world. We were up for Small Family Business of the Year and are honoured to have been highly commended in this category, especially since it was our first time applying! Congratulations to all those nominated, and a massive thank you to WARD, the sponsors of the award. 

Derbyshire Business Awards  

Our final win so far this year was for the “Business and Education Partnership” at the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce Derbyshire Business Awards. The 2024 Business and Education Partnership Award highlighted exceptional collaborations between educational institutions and businesses that enrich employability skills among students. Hardy Signs took home the award, which was recognised for our active engagement with local academic partners to provide students with practical learning opportunities and career-ready skills development. 

Burton & District Chamber Awards

We received some great news earlier this week to wrap up our awards season at Hardy Signs: we are finalists for “The Business of the Year Award” and Blu for “Rising Star of the Year” at the Burton Celebratory Lunch, making its return in mid-November this year – hopefully, Hardy Signs can score an awards hat trick in 2024! 

 

It’s been a whirlwind year filled with hard work, dedication and growth and we owe our success to the incredible support we’ve received from clients, partners and industry peers alike. Your encouragement has driven us forward and inspired us to continue innovating and delivering top-quality signage solutions. From all of us at Hardy Signs, thank you for standing by us and believing in our vision. Here’s to more milestones, more recognition and an even brighter future ahead.