Former ski jumper Eddie ‘the eagle’ Edwards lands at Knole Academy for the annual Sevenoaks Business Awards

Friday the 13th proved to be a lucky day for Ruth Hyde, the owner of Cryojuvenate, as she picked up two of the top accolades at the 2019 Sevenoaks Business Awards held at Knole Academy last week.

Ruth Hyde receives her New Business of the Year Award from Sevenoaks Town Partnership Chairman Andrew Eyre, Town Mayor Nicholas Busvine and District Council chairman John Edwards-Winser.

The Sports injury and wellness clinic based at 54 High Street, Sevenoaks, won the Independent Retailer of the Year Award and the new Business Award.

There was also good news for the organisers of the Sevenoaks Summer Festival which is now 50 years old. They picked up the Judges Choice award.

One of the unique treatments available at Ruth’s Cryojuvenate clinic involves freezing temperatures in a special cryotherapy chamber, so perhaps it was fitting that the guest of honour at the business awards was former ski jumper Eddie ‘the eagle’ Edwards who knows a thing or two about working in cold conditions.

Ruth Hyde and Eddie Edwards show off Cryojuvenate’s two Sevenoaks Business Awards.

Eddie ‘the Eagle’ made a name for himself in more ways than one in 1988 when he became the first ski jumper since 1928 to represent Great Britain at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. He has since become a well-known personality on television and on the corporate speaking circuit. A film about his life and his struggles to become an Olympian was released in 2015.

Andrew Eyre, the Chairman of the Sevenoaks Town Partnership, which hosts the annual event, said: “The businesses and people of Sevenoaks again had a wonderful evening at the Sevenoaks Business Awards. Together we celebrated success in training and development, and success in businesses both large and small, who all make Sevenoaks the wonderful market town it is. I look forward to the awards next year.”

Sevenoaks Summer Festival organiser John Levett receives the Judges Choice award from Sevenoaks Town Partnership Chairman Andrew Eyre, Town Mayor Nicholas Busvine and Elizabeth Dolding of Warners Solicitors.

The full results were:

National Chain Retailer sponsored by Manak: Winner – COOK; second place – Space NK; Third Place – Seasalt.

Independent Retailer of the Year Award sponsored by Wildernesse House: Winner – Cryojuvenate; Joint Second Place – The Chinaman and Sevenoaks Florist.

Apprentice of the Year sponsored by KCC Cllr Margaret Crabtree: Joint Winners – Jared Humphries and Alex Bill

New Business sponsored by Sevenoaks District Council: Winner – Cryojuvenate; Second Place – Prime Aesthetics; Third Place – Fisical Mind & Body.

Customer Choice sponsored by Specsavers: Winner – Wagamama; Second Place – COOK; Third Place – Sevenoaks Sports Magazine.

Micro enterprise of the Year sponsored by Sevenoaks & District Chamber of Commerce: Winner – Curly Ellie ; Second Place – Fine Styling; Third Place – Sevenoaks Plans.

Judges Choice sponsored by Warners Solicitors: Sevenoaks Summer Festival