Somewhere across Sedgemoor right now, a business owner is quietly getting on with doing something brilliant, solving a problem better than anyone else, treating their staff well, building something from nothing, or simply refusing to give up when times got tough. The Sedgemoor Business Excellence Awards exist for exactly that person, and with just 15 days left to apply, Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce wants to make sure no deserving business misses out.

This isn’t an awards ceremony for the same handful of household names year after year. It’s a genuine celebration of the people and teams who make up the county’s business community, from ambitious start-ups finding their feet to long-established family firms still leading the way after decades. It recognises resilience as much as revenue, and community impact as much as commercial success, because that’s what actually reflects the businesses of Sedgemoor.

This year also marks a new chapter for the Awards. Just as the Chamber itself evolved from Bridgwater Chamber to Sedgemoor Chamber, and Somerset Business Expo had its own rebrand this year, the Awards have had a refresh too, part of the Chamber’s ongoing investment in giving local businesses a bigger stage and the recognition they’ve earned.

Here’s the best part: it costs nothing to enter. Absolutely nothing. And there’s no limit on how many of the 20 categories a business can apply for, so if you’ve smashed it in more than one area this year, whether that’s Small Business of the Year, Employer of the Year, Sustainable Business, Technology & Innovation, Community Impact or one of the many other categories on offer, put yourself forward for all of them. Why settle for one shot at recognition when you could have several?

Because that’s really what this comes down to. Being named a finalist, let alone a winner, is a genuine boost to a business’s profile and credibility, a chance to be seen by customers, staff and partners in a whole new light, and a moment to celebrate the hard work that so often goes unnoticed in the day to day grind of running a business.

So if that’s you, or a business you know, don’t let this slip by. Applications close at midday on Thursday 17 September 2026, and they take just a few minutes to complete. There really is nothing to lose.

Apply now at: sedgemoorchamber.co.uk