THE shortlist for this year’s South East FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards has been published.

The winners of each of the 12 award categories will be announced at the South East area finals on March 6 at Sandown Racecourse in Esher, Surrey.

The category winners will go through to the UK national FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards 2018 final in London in May.

Brian Woods (pictured), the FSB’s South East regional chairman, said: “Hard work and dedication are the bedrock of every great achievement. All of these finalists have proved to the judges that their work is worthy of recognition and celebration.

“To have been shortlisted is in itself a great recognition of the effort, pride and passion they put into their business. We look forward to celebrating their achievements as well as finding out who will make it to the national finals in May.”

The FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards recognise and celebrate the most outstanding smaller businesses in the UK, a sector that makes an overwhelming contribution to the UK’s economy and culture.

The 12 award categories are Business Exporter of the Year, Community Award, Ethical – Green Business of the Year, Business and Product Innovation Award, Digital Business of the Year, Microbusiness of the Year, Start-up Business of the Year, Scale-up Business of the Year, Family Business of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Employer of the Year, and The Triumph over Adversity Award.

Tickets for the area awards on March 6 are available via fsbawards.co.uk.