THE finalists for the 2016 CN Group Business Awards have been chosen, and Furness and south Cumbria are well represented.

The annual awards, run by CN Group, publisher of the Evening Mail, celebrate the achievements of Cumbrian businesses.

They will be presented at a gala dinner at the Low Wood Bay Resort, near Ambleside, on October 20, when the newly-appointed Small Business Minister, Margot James, will be headline speaker.

The judges have picked 45 finalists and 15 winners, whose identity will be kept under wraps until the night.

Oxley Group of Ulverston and Wax Lyrical at Lindal have both made the final three for 'exporter of the year', a category won by Playdale of Haverthwaite last year.

Wax Lyrical is hoping to clinch a double as the home fragrance manufacturer is also shortlisted in the 'environmental and energy awareness' section.

Twenty-year-old Will Gardner-Brennand, from Barrow, a software adviser at Miller Waite in Ulverston, is in the running for 'rising star'.

Other south Cumbrian finalists include Cumbria Teaching Agency in Ulverston, Digataloft, Net Development and Kendal Nutricare in Kendal, Zeffirellis in Ambleside, Treetop Trek at Brockhole, Windermere, and Daffodil Hotel and Spa, Grasmere.

READ: Factory ordered to stop unauthorised development

FREE: Download the latest edition of the excellent in-Cumbria magazine

Jonathan Lee, a former editor of the Evening Mail who is now development director of CN Group, chaired the judging panel.

He said: "All the judges were particularly impressed with the standard of this year's entries.

"It is testimony to the energy and commitment of individual business people and the dynamic and diverse businesses across the whole of Cumbria that the judges had such a difficult task.

"Cumbria has such a lot to shout about and be proud of when it comes to its business community. We look forward to the CN Business Awards showcasing that excellence at the awards ceremony in October."

The other judges were John Grainger, stakeholder director at Britain's Energy Coast Business Cluster, Paul Murphy, a former CN Group Business Awards winner who won 'businessperson of the year' in 2014, and CN Group business editor Julian Whittle.

Mr Grainger declared an interest in categories where Britain's Energy Coast Business Cluster members were under consideration.

All shortlisted businesses receive two complimentary tickets for the awards dinner.

FINALISTS

Training and Development Award: Country House Outdoor, Carlisle; TSP Engineering, Workington; Britain's Energy Coast Business Cluster.

Exporter of the Year: Wax Lyrical, Lindal-in-Furness; Oxley Group, Ulverston; Clark Door, Carlisle.

Community Involvement: Net Development, Kendal; Carlisle United Football Club; Baines Wilson LLP, Carlisle.

Innovation: QG Business Solutions, Scotby; Innovia Group, Wigton; Kendal Nutricare.

Environmental and Energy Awareness: Ecological Building Systems, Carlisle; FSC Blencathra Centre, Threlkeld; Wax Lyrical, Lindal-in-Furness.

Agribusiness of the Year: Cows & Co, Warwick Bridge; Quattro Products, Penrith; Lakes Free Range Egg Co, Stainton.

Tourism and Hospitality Award: Zeffirellis, Ambleside; Treetop Trek, Windermere; The Lakes Distillery, Bassenthwaite.

New Business of the Year: Cumbria Teaching Agency, Ulverston; Cumbria Travel, Whitehaven; Kendal Nutricare.

Service Business of the Year: Westlakes Engineering, Whitehaven; Prima Uno, Cleator Moor; InvestAcc Group, Carlisle.

Manufacturing Business of the Year: Forth Engineering, Maryport; TSP Engineering, Workington; Clark Door, Carlisle.

Best Use of Media: Daffodil Hotel and Spa, Grasmere; Bruce and Luke's, Carlisle; Country House Outdoor, Carlisle.

Customer Service Excellence Award: Sally's Cottages, Keswick; Armstrong Watson, Carlisle; Brampton Skip Hire, Carlisle.

Rising Star Award: Will Gardner-Brennand, Miller Waite, Ulverston; Kyle Jenkinson, Forth Engineering, Maryport; James Brockbank, Digitaloft, Kendal.

Businessperson of the Year: Craig Hatch, WYG, Cockermouth; Emma Hill, RadioWorks, Carlisle; Sarah Purdham, Prima Uno, Cleator Moor.

Social Enterprise of the Year: Amy's Care CIC, Ireby; Carlisle United Community Sports Trust; Enterprise Answers, Penrith.