2023 Eastside Awards finalists announced as almost 14,000 votes cast for favourites

Finalists of this year's Eastside Awards in association with George Best Belfast City Airport, have been arrived at from a diverse range of entries received across all categories.
Seven of this year’s Eastside Awards 'favourites' categories were opened to a public vote and almost 14,000 votes were cast online via Belfast Live as the public supported their favourite beauty business, eatery, hairdresser/barber, primary teacher, post primary teacher, school hero and takeaway.

Jonathan McAlpin, Chief Executive of East Belfast Enterprise and Chair of Eastside Awards Committee, said: “The Eastside Awards is embedded in the local community as an annual celebration of recognising all that is good about East Belfast and this year’s finalists should be delighted to get this far.
 
“For the public vote to have been so popular, with almost 14,000 people casting their vote, proves to me that as a community, East Belfast people are proud to support local people and businesses and wish them to succeed.
 
“Our finalists are all worthy winners in my mind and I know there was a great deal of deliberation between the judges who were faced with delivering a shortlist of finalists from a diverse range of entries. I am looking forward to congratulating the finalists and celebrating with the winners at our glittering awards ceremony in January.”
 
Eastside Awards in association with George Best Belfast City Airport finalists are:
 
Eastside Award for Apprentice of the Year sponsored by Wolseley Plumb & Parts:
Cameron Bailie; O’Connor Sutton Cronin & Associates (Belfast) Ltd; Gabriel Onojorhoevwo, Precept IT; Adam Roberts, Charles Hurst Toyota Dundonald
Eastside Award for Best Company to Work For sponsored by Fleet Financial:
Ashfield Girls’ High School, East Belfast Community Development Agency, Lightyear
Eastside Award for Business Growth sponsored by We’resure Insurance Services:
International Business Centre Ltd, MAD Colour, Refresh Property Solutions
Eastside Award for Business Start Up sponsored by Belfast City Council:
Momentum, Nelsons Newsagents, Sports Entertainment Tours
Eastside Award for Community Impact sponsored by Belfast Harbour:
East Belfast Alternatives Orangefield Project, Glentoran Social Partnership, Strand Arts Centre
Eastside Award for Contribution to the Arts sponsored by EastSide Partnership:
Scotts Jazz Club, The Bright Umbrella Drama Co, The Night Institute
Eastside Award for Environmental Sustainability sponsored by Kainos:
Davines UK Ltd, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, Totalis
Eastside Award for Excellence in Health and Wellbeing sponsored by Better:
Leonard Cheshire, ARBI Unit; Hosford Mental Wellbeing Project, East Belfast Mission; Men’s Minds Matter
Eastside Award for Favourite Beauty Business in East Belfast sponsored by Solv:
Hands On Beauty, Lushious Luxuries Day Spa, The Skin Solution
Eastside Award for Favourite Eatery in East Belfast sponsored by Pacem:
No 36, Cyprus Avenue, Horatio Todds
Eastside Award for Favourite Hairdresser/Barber in East Belfast sponsored by Solv:
Agency Hair, G&S Hair, LaVeau Hair
Eastside Award for Favourite Takeaway in East Belfast sponsored by Hagan Homes:
Flout!, Golden Sun Chinese Takeaway, Tasty Garden
Eastside Award for Favourite Primary Teacher in East Belfast sponsored by The Open University:
Mrs Anderson, Strandtown Primary School; Mr Devine, Strandtown Primary School; Mrs Rainey, Euston Street Primary School and Nursery Unit
Eastside Award for Favourite Post Primary Teacher in East Belfast sponsored by The Open University:
Mrs Beattie, Ashfield Boys’ High School; Mr Jellie, Strathearn School; Mr Perry, Dundonald High School
Eastside Award for School Hero of the Year sponsored by Belfast Live:
Mrs Rainey, Strandtown Primary School; Mr McCausland, Ashfield Girls’ High School; Ms Walsh, Tor Bank School
Eastside Award for Sports Initiative of the Year sponsored by Phoenix Energy:
Boundary Brewing Running Club, East Belfast GAA Club, Malone Tornadoes Mixed Ability Rugby Team
Eastside Award for Tourism Experience sponsored by Reid Black:
Banana Block, Templemore Baths Heritage Experience, Titanic Hotel Belfast
Eastside Award for Young Person of the Year sponsored by George Best Belfast City Airport:
Laurie Bell, Ashfield Girls’ High School; Jack Harrison, Bloomfield Community Association; Cora McGoldrick, Belfast Metropolitan College
Eastside Award for Volunteer of the Year sponsored by East Belfast Mission:
Gerardine Cunningham, St Vincent de Paul; Tara Janssen, Ashfield Girls’ High School; Stephen McDonald, Walkway Community Association
 
A special Outstanding Contribution award sponsored by East Belfast Enterprise will be announced at the awards ceremony, chosen by the committee. This individual will be awarded for the outstanding contribution they have made to the East Belfast community.