With Club Hub
On Saturday 11 May, around 200 children’s activity providers gathered at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel, Birmingham for the Club Hub Event 2024. The annual event brings together business owners from across the UK for a full day of personal and professional development, tailored to the sector. 12 workshops were offered, covering a range of business topics from finance, business strategy, inclusion, to hypnosis for success with Daisy First Aid’s very own Jenni Dunman!
The keynote was delivered by Caprice Fox, speaker, educator, EDI trainer and facilitator. Caprice shared her experiences as a black queer mother and was joined by Ruth Butler from Representation Matters, for an engaging Q&A and fireside chat. This session was key to Club Hub’s commitment to raise awareness of anti-racist practice in the children’s activities sector. The event closed with the Club Hub Awards ceremony.
The Club Hub Awards are the only national awards for children’s activity providers with entry by application form only, no voting. The awards are independently judged by a panel of judges and finalists are shortlisted based on their commitment to excellence, innovation and growth of their business, demonstrated through their business performance, achievements, brand values and passion for what they do.
The awards are offered across 16 categories. 86 finalists were shortlisted from 315 applications, representing 165 Club Hub member businesses. The following businesses picked up awards:
Nicholas Clement – Chi Education
Start-Up Business of the Year
Kristine Monaghan – Children’s Activity Business Academy
Supplier of the Year
Corinna Bordoli and Léa Henry – CocoRio
Leader of the Year
Lucy and Steve Fitzgerald – Cricket tots
Family Business of the Year
Rachel Peebles -Estrellas Brillantes
Franchisee of the Year
James Cutting – Football Fun Factory
Entrepreneur of the Year
Anni Rhodes-Steere – Head2Head Sensory Theatre
Non-Profit Business of the Year
Anna Neville – Kidslingo
Franchise of the Year with more than 15 franchisees
Plantasia Tropical Zoo
Attraction/Venue of the Year
Emma Gardener and Lorna Eccleston – Story Rangers
Independent Business of the Year
Claire Munday – Tappy Toes
Biggest Growth of the Year
Julie Barber – TechyTots Ltd
Franchise of the Year with up to 15 franchisees
Carrie Ann Booth – The Science Booth
Marketing Pop Star
Julie Hetherington – TinyTalk SouthWest Birmingham & North Worcestershire
Lifetime Achievement
Fatema Zahra Meghjee – Tots Play Birmingham South Central
Solo Star of the Year
Catherine Blackmore – WestWay School of Performing Arts
Community Champion of the Year
“Huge Congratulations to our 16 2024 Club Hub Award Winners. It was so amazing to see you
all on Saturday at the Club Hub Event and celebrate your achievements. Please take this
opportunity to sit back and reflect on all your hard work. The children’s activities industry is an
incredible sector to be part of.”
Tessa Day, Founder and Director of Club Hub UK