Tester & Jones Funeral Services triumphed at the East Sussex Business Awards 2019, winning the ‘Micro Business of the Year’ award and being named as a finalist in the ‘Professional Service Provider of the Year’ category. The awards ceremony, which took place on Thursday 26 September at the East Sussex National, was an opportunity to honour the best businesses in the county.
The award was accepted by Tester & Jones’ joint owners, Stephen Tester and Glenys Jones, who set the firm up 15 years ago and pride themselves on providing an exceptional service, coupled with a caring approach.
The East Sussex Business Awards are organised by ACES (The Alliance of Chambers in East Sussex), with support from East Sussex County Council, and ‘showcase those businesses that have shown exceptional growth, are supporting the development of their teams and have shown commitment to the region’. Tester & Jones was eligible to enter the awards through being a member of the Crowborough and District Chamber of Commerce.
The judges said they were particularly impressed by Tester & Jones’ ongoing commitment to the families it supports. Ten years ago, the firm launched a Bereavement Group and this has provided vital friendship and a support network to many bereaved people in Crowborough and the surrounding area since then.
In the awards application, Brenda Smart, who has been attending the Bereavement Group for more than five years, explained how it helps people: “If it wasn’t for the Bereavement Group, there are some members who possibly might not go out socially, so it’s fantastic that Tester & Jones launched this service. I think we’ve all become a little stronger, more independent and more confident as a result of the group.”
The glittering awards night was hosted by Ian Noble from Uckfield Chamber of Commerce and Christina Ewbank from ACES and Stephen and Glenys were joined at the event by some of their team.
“We are absolutely delighted to win this award,” said Glenys. “As a firm, we are celebrating our 15th anniversary next month and this accolade is a wonderful recognition of what our whole team has achieved over those years – we couldn’t have done this without them. It’s also a reflection of the trust that the community in Crowborough has put in us.”
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