With Covid-19 continuing to have widespread impact on the business community, the challenges facing old, new and recently established businesses has never been greater.

The Ely Standard remains committed and determined to reflect the ingenuity, sustainability and what you might term bouncebackability of its thriving business community.

Ely Standard Editor John Elworthy said: “Although it may be for us a herculean challenge, we retain and are developing a growing sense of optimism that Ely and East Cambridgeshire has the qualities needed to enjoy a slow, but nonetheless meaningful, full recovery.”

He also praised the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce – one of our key judging partners since the awards began – with showing “resilience coupled with sound advice” to businesses since lockdown began.

“Every day new and meaningful information pops up from the chamber of commerce – it is invaluable,” said Mr Elworthy.

In this week’s focus on the Ely Standard Business Awards we turn our attention to new businesses.

This category is open to any company of any size, including sole traders that have been set up since January 1, 2019. It does not have to be registered for VAT.

The category is sponsored by JDR Cables who say: “Our dynamic and flexible approach delivers the most effective solutions, building long-term partnerships and delivering highly innovated products and services for subsea and land infrastructure connections.

“We are a leader in subsea production umbilicals, subsea power cables and Intervention Workover Control Systems for the offshore oil and gas industry.

“In addition, JDR is a global pioneer in the development of inter-array power cables for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy projects.

“JDR provides market leading services to support customers from project concept design/selection, installation, commissioning and full field lifecycle services.

“Through our services group, JDR has a network of experienced and certified project managers, engineers, technicians and service support facilities, available 24/7 to manage customer projects, for JDR and non-JDR products, on or offshore.”

The full list of categories for 2020 is below:

• New Business of the Year

• Small Medium Enterprises of the Year

• Family Business of the Year

• Supporting Young People Award

• Commercial Business in The Community

• The Customer Service Award

• Business Growth Award

• Business Person of the Year

• Employer of the Year

• The Innovation Award

Criteria for each of the categories can be found on the awards website.

The Judges’ Award & The Business of the Year Award are not directly entered but chosen by the judges and will be announced on the night.

The entry deadline for the 2020 awards is July 3 at 5pm. All entries can be made via www.elybusinessawards.co.uk

The date of the 2020 awards ceremony has been moved and it will now take place at Ely Cathedral on Friday December 4.