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Hutch maker scoops FSB award

Jun 22 2007

The winner of the British Small Business Champions Awards was announced last week - the accolade went to The Happy Hutch.

Organised by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the awards "recognise excellence among the small business community" and are split into various categories.

Rabbit hutch maker The Happy Hutch was the overall winner and named 2007's British Small Business Champion, taking home a glittering trophy, a cheque for £10,000 and £5,000 to donate to charity.

The business was formed when Graham Barnard came off the dole to make rabbit hutches for a friend who had taken over a pet shop. Since then, the business has grown to employ six full-time and five part-time staff, and has a successful website at www.happyhutch.co.uk. Included in the prize is £20,000 worth of advertising in Business Network magazine.

'It has taken five hard years to get this far,' says Mr Barnard, 'It was very hard to find anyone to help or back me but I had two things you must have - self belief and a family that helps and backs me all the way. I have never done this thinking I would get rich - I do it because I love it. Remember - it is not how good you are. It is how good you want to be.'

Other winners in the FSB awards included 1st for Furniture (which took the Young Entrepreneur Award), Playforce Ltd (Manufacturing award), Gwynedd Environmental Waste Services (Service Award) and Young World (Innovation Award).

The FSB's recruitment chairman, John Emmins, says: 'The Federation of Small Businesses is proud of the huge contribution that small firms make to British life.'

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