Thousands of people across Oxfordshire have voted in this year’s Little Ankle Biters' Awards in a fantastic show of support for their favourite places to visit and family- friendly services, as society begins to open across the county.
Winners of the Little Ankle Biters’ Awards 2021 were announced at a virtual ceremony, Saturday 10 April, which saw Abingdon based, Bright Sparks Science, win Best New Product & Service for its virtual science holiday camps, Oxford Story Museum win Best Museum, and Cogges in Witney win Best Local Attraction.
Bonners Oxford, received an overwhelming majority to win the Community Spirit Award, sponsored by B P Collins LLP, for businesses that went above and beyond to support the local community throughout the pandemic.
Based at the Covered Market Oxford since 1952, the independent greengrocers successfully adapted its business overnight to deliver food across Oxfordshire and also partnered with Oxford Hospital Charity to provide fruit & vegetable baskets and wellbeing boxes to nurses.
Owner of Bonners Oxford, Verity Piggott, said: “We were touched to even have been nominated, and then winning; for just reacting to what was needed in a very difficult climate. The whole team is proud of what we have achieved. Thank you everyone for supporting us.”
Opening its shop doors for the first time this week since December, Wantage based children’s clothing and toy store, Sweetpeas, won Best Independent Business.
Owned and managed by a mother and daughter team, Tracey Smith, Sweetpeas, said: “We are completely overwhelmed to receive this award and our hearts are filled with joy and gratitude. We are endlessly grateful to the incredible support we have always received, but especially during this last year which has been the most challenging to everyone in so many ways. Here’s to many happy and positive days ahead.”
Little Ankle Biters is a free website providing trusted reviews of family friendly businesses in one place, with all content written by local mums. It is now established in six counties across the south of England with plans to expand across the UK this year and the company has recently launched its own clothing brand supporting female empowerment as well as providing other seasonal gifts for Fathers Day and teachers.
Talking about the fourth annual Little Ankle Biters’ Awards, mum of two and company co-founder, Kate Gregory, from Thame, said:
“We launched this year’s Little Ankle Biters’ Awards just after Christmas to offer a little hope and positivity when we were all plunged back into lockdown. We have been truly amazed at the response, with over 7,000 people voting, and would like to thank everyone that got involved. We have fantastic community spirit in Oxfordshire and hopefully our awards will boost morale of those running family-friendly attractions and businesses as they continue to navigate through difficult times.”
The winners of the Little Ankle Biters’ Awards 2021 are:
- Best New Business - Two Little Acorns
- Best Soft Play - Sprouts Barn (Millets Farm)
- Best Independent Business Sweetpeas children's clothing and toys
- Best Community Spirit Award, sponsored by B P Collins LLP (for businesses who went out of their way to support the local community during the pandemic) – Bonners Oxford
- Best Theatre - Chipping Norton Theatre
- Best Pregnancy Service or Business - Henley Hypnobirthing
- Best for the Grown Ups - Oxford Flotation Centre
- Best New Product or Service - Bright Sparks Science - Virtual Online Holiday Camps
- Best Museum - Oxford Story Museum
- Best Children’s Party Venue - Clip n Climb, Bicester
- Best Local Attraction - Cogges
- Best Children’s Activity Class - Keelies school of dance
- Best Party Supplier - Poppy Red Cake Company
- Best Family Friendly place to Eat, sponsored by Master Builders Club
- Pizza Calzone, Banbury
- Best Children’s Sports Club – OSTMA
- Best Children’s Party Entertainer - Aaron Williams
- Best Local Charity or Not for Profit, sponsored by Shout PR - Home Start Oxford
Little Ankle Biters has been nominated in the Thames Valley Business Awards 2021 for Business of the Year, Female Entrepreneur of the Year and SME of the Year.
To find out more about Little Ankle Biters, visit: oxon.ankle-biters.co.uk.
