Forest Business Awards 2020 – Tourism Award Finalist
The Forest Business Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the achievements of some of the great businesses throughout the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. Over 200 businesses attend the awards which makes it the largest event of its kind in the area. There are 17 categories and Dean Forest Railway entered the Tourism category and were delighted to be announced as a finalist in the summer of 2020.
Central England Prestige 2020/2021 – Tourist Attraction of the Year
Corporate LiveWire Prestige Awards have been in circulation for 10 years. They partner with leading experts in producing content which keeps their readers up to date with the latest developments in their local communities. Corporate LiveWire recognised that the important work of small and independent businesses had long been overlooked by most international award programmes. To rectify this, the Prestige Awards was launched to celebrate the businesses and individuals that consistently offer excellent products and services to their clients/visitors. When shortlisted, Dean Forest Railway were asked to provide information to support their nomination with evidence of their work, positive feedback from visitors, information on previous accreditation and recognition as well as highlighting the most outstanding parts of their business. Dean Forest Railway were then overjoyed to hear they were announced as winners in March 2021!
South West England Tourism Excellence Award 2019/2020 – Commended in the Small Visitor Attraction of the year category.
Judging is carried out by an independent panel of past winners, industry leaders and experts in their field, selected for their impartiality, experience and suitability for each category. The Small Visitor Attraction of the Year category was sponsored by Pear Communications and in April 2020, at the start of what was to prove a difficult year for Dean Forest Railway, with lockdowns and covid restrictions, they were delighted to hear that they had been commended. This is a wonderful achievement given the number of excellent businesses who applied across such a vast region.
SoGlos Gloucestershire Lifestyle Awards 2021 – Shortlisted for Cultural Venue of the Year
In 2018 SoGlos Gloucestershire Lifestyle Awards were established to recognise and celebrate the very best lifestyle sector businesses in and around the county with all winners chosen by a public vote. Dean Forest Railway’s application impressed the judges, and they were overjoyed to hear that they had been shortlisted under the Cultural Venue of the Year category. On 5th July 2021 voting opened to the public. Dean Forest Railway wait to hear if they have been successful in winning the category and one of their team will be attending the Awards Evening on 21st October to find out! Watch this space….
Forest of Dean Volunteering Awards 2021 -Voluntary Group of the Year
Dean Forest Railway are delighted to report that their 150+ invaluable volunteers were awarded joint second place in the Forest of Dean Volunteering Awards and their Chairman, Adam Dickinson, had the honour of collecting their certificate at the Lydney Community Event at Bathurst Park in September. It was recognised that all the volunteers had made such a difference to the local community and the Forest of Dean Volunteering Awards was a way to show their appreciation.
Gloucestershire Live Business Awards 2021 – Small Business of the year finalist
The Gloucestershire Live Business Awards are designed to celebrate the achievements of Gloucestershire’s business community and this year the resilience of companies amid a pandemic. A member of the Dean Forest Railway team went along to the Awards Ceremony in Cheltenham to hear the winners be announced. Although not the overall winner in the category of Small Business of the Year, Dean Forest Railway were very proud to be nominated for this Award, as there had been a record number of outstanding applications in which the judges had great difficulty in making the final decisions. I’m sure you will agree, what an achievement this is, given the unprecedented year businesses have had!
