Shropshire's best businesses for children are named

The Shropshire's Businesses for Children Awards 2015 take place on March 14, and the organisers have now released details of the businesses who will be fighting it out for the 12 awards on offer.

Little Pixies Nursery, Nesscliffe; Baby Bird Cafe, Oswestry; Cafe Life, Oswestry; UK Foodhall, Shrewsbury; Busy Bees, Shrewsbury

New Business for Children or Young People:

Little Angels of Baschurch; Slings for Parents, Shrewsbury; Let's Go Fishing; Lawley Village Day Nursery, Telford; Activ8, Telford

Businesses for Children Shropshire Franchisee:

Rhythm Time, Shrewsbury; Lingotot, Shrewsbury and Telford; AStar Sports, Oswestry; Baby Sensory, Shrewsbury and Oswestry; Musical Steps, Telford, Shrewsbury and Newport

Educational Business for Young People:

Telford Music School; Hoo Farm, Preston and the Weald Moors; Telford Chin Woo; Lingotot, Shrewsbury and Telford; Polish Saturday School, Wellington

Supportive Businesses for Young People:

Picasso Legal, Telford; Telford Chin Woo; Juniper Training, Telford; Wrekin Riders, Dawley; Dyslexic Dyslexia Consultant, Wellington

Businesses Providing Activities for Young People:

Nikki Fogarty School of Swimming, Shifnal, Telford and Shrewsbury; Activsports, Shrewsbury and Telford; Let's Go Fishing; Get Your Wigle On, Shrewsbury; Telford Chin Woo

Educational Businesses for Under Fives:

Baschurch Preschool Group, Baschurch; Lingotot, Telford and Shrewsbury; Baby Sensory; Rhythm Time, Shrewsbury; Play Days Newport

Supportive Businesses for Under Fives:

Stacey's Childminding Hoppy Days, Shrewsbury; Shropshire Sling Library, Shrewsbury; Baby Sensory Shropshire, Shrewsbury and Oswestry; ABC Day Nursery, Telford; Slings for Parents

Businesses Providing Activities for Under Fives:

ABC Day Nursery, Telford; Water Babies, Shrewsbury; Mitchy Titch, Telford; Nikki Fogarty School of Swimming; Baby Sensory, Shrewsbury and Oswestry

Businesses for Babes:

Water Babies, Shrewsbury; Royal Touch Photography, Shrewsbury; Baby Sensory; Mitchy Titch, Telford; Rhythm Time

Children's Product:

Jim Hawkins, Shrewsbury; Bellini's Box, Shrewsbury; The Wooden Playden, Newport; Little Village Group, Whitchurch; Serenzipity, Shrewsbury

Children's Charity 2015:

Sponsored by county solicitors firm Lanyon Bowdler, the awards celebrate the Shropshire businesses and people which educate, support and provide activities and products for local children.

Categories include The Green Apple Award for businesses which promote healthy eating, New Business, Shropshire Franchisee, Children's Product, Children's Charity, Business for Babes and activities, education and support for the under fives and young people aged up to 18.

The judging panel boasted children's experts and local businessmen and women, including Kim Hodgetts, programme manager for Youth Unemployment at Telford & Wrekin Council, Michelle Childs, founder of Bizmums and business coach Gaynor Gravestock.

The finalists will discover whether they have scooped a gong at a ceremony at Telford's Park Inn Hotel next month, when guests will also hear from the headline speaker – Britain's two-time Paralympic Archery Champion Danielle Brown and the students of Moreton Hall School currently running Moreton Enterprises.

The first BCA ceremony was held on March 29, 2014 when awards were handed out to businesses crowned the winners of 11 categories, with six others receiving Highly Commended certificates, and county business Baby Sensory Shropshire, which holds classes in Shrewsbury and Oswestry, being revealed as the overall Children's Business of the Year.

Awards co-ordinator Charlotte Davies said: "Congratulations to all who have made the shortlist for 2015. Last year's winners set a very high benchmark and, yet again, competition was fierce."