A VETERAN television and radio star turned out to help launch the 11th Test Valley Business Awards.

Just a Minute host Nicholas Parsons CBE was on hand at The Potters Heron in Ampfield to kick off the 2015 awards, which will celebrate the best businesses across the district.

The 91 year-old-performer drew on his enormous stock of anecdotes to keep his audience laughing. These included the time he was introduced at an event by the master of ceremonies with the words “Pray for the silence of Nicholas Parsons.”

Nicholas once held the world record for the longest after dinner speech, 11 hours, a feat which he admitted “nearly killed me”.

He will be back to tell more stories at the gala awards night to be held at The Lights in Andover on April 21.

Earlier Mayor of Test Valley Jan Lovell had given a brief outline of this year’s awards and said; “Businesses make communities without them we would all live in soulless dormitory towns”.

Ian Murray, editor in chief of Newsquest Hampshire, said that it had been vital to celebrate the successes of businesses during the downturn and now the economy was recovering it was even more important to promote local businesses so they could create more jobs, especially for young people.

This year’s awards categories are:

Doing Business Locally, sponsored by Taylored IT

Employer of the Year, sponsored by Active Staff

Innovation & Technology Award, sponsored by University of Southampton Science Park.

 New Business of the Year, sponsored by Test Valley Borough Council

 Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Waltet

Customer Service Award, sponsored by cooking2cooling

 

Nominations for the 2015 awards are now open. Visit tvbawards.org.uk/awards-2015 to find out more.