Stratford Herald Business and Tourism Award win sent ‘strong signal’ says founder of EVera Recruitment
THE boss of a Stratford-based car and battery industry recruitment specialist says being named best employer sends out a ‘strong signal’ to clients and candidates.
Steve Doyle, founder and chief executive of EVera Recruitment which won the best employer category at the Herald Business and Tourism Awards, described the win as a “very proud moment”.
He said: “Even though we are an internationally recognised business and do business all over the world, our employees are local – many are from in or around Stratford.
“To be recognised as the best employer in the area, was a very proud moment for me personally, because I set out to establish a business with a set of values.
“The team were also very proud and we had a great evening at the awards dinner – it was genuinely exciting, as you only find out on the night if you have won and it was a lovely to be able to celebrate together as a team.”
EVera is based in an eco-friendly Huf house in Timothy’s Bridge Road and the team are involved in hiring for EV, battery and gigafactory-related roles all over the world.
Some of its client partners include the £130 million UK Battery Industrialisation Centre in Coventry, Aston Martin, Unipart, Lotus, Tata Technologies and Dyson.
Steve, an engineer who was born and brought up in Stratford, added: “From a hiring perspective, winning that award is a huge positive because it sends out a strong signal.
“Our clients know recruitment is a people-to-people business and see we look after our own people.
“We hire and we nurture in an environment where people have a very good work/health balance.
“Our core values are that we are in the room, we exceed and we care.
“That means we’re there, we’re positive and believe in what we’re doing.
“We like to surprise our candidates and clients by doing a little bit more than they expect.
“And recruitment is an industry where things can be rushed or overlooked, but we care about our candidates and our clients and each other.
“If you look after everyone and make sure they are happy, people stay.”
Nominations are now open for this year’s Stratford Herald Business and Tourism awards.
There are 13 categories to choose from, spanning all types of businesses, pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels, charities and not-for-profits.
This year’s categories are:
Best Online Business
Best Family Business, sponsored by Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall
Team of the Year
Community Support Award, sponsored by Stratford-upon-Avon School
Top Attraction, sponsored by Crowne Plaza hotel
Best Business Innovation, sponsored by Porterbrook
Employer of the Year, sponsored by Stratford College
Employee of the Year, sponsored by Stratford District Council
Best New Business
Charity of the Year, sponsored by Royal Shakespeare Company
Best Customer Experience, sponsored by Stratford BID
Best Green Business
Best Pub/Bar/Restaurant
Business of the Year, sponsored by Shakespeare Martineau
Community Support Award, sponsored by Stratford-upon-Avon School
Top Attraction, sponsored by Crowne Plaza hotel
Best Business Innovation, sponsored by Porterbrook
Employer of the Year, sponsored by Stratford College
Employee of the Year, sponsored by Stratford District Council
Best New Business
Charity of the Year, sponsored by Royal Shakespeare Company
Best Customer Experience, sponsored by Stratford BID
Best Green Business
Best Pub/Bar/Restaurant
Business of the Year, sponsored by Shakespeare Martineau
The table sponsor on the night is Shakespeare’s England while Wright Engineering is the programme sponsor.
RSC actor Christopher Saul will once again host the awards finale at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Stratford on Friday, 17th October.
These Business and Tourism awards, the fourth are open to all businesses and charities in the Stratford district, whether they’re a sole trader or a large company, a startup or long-established.
The award nomination process is designed to be easy.
To nominate a business, tourist attraction or charity – simply log on to the website below and follow the instructions.
Businesses can nominate, and so can their customers, charity trustees or anyone who believes the organisation is worthy of an award.
Nominated businesses and groups will be contacted so the independent judges have enough information to assess all the entries against the set criteria.
The awards are free to enter thanks to the support of sponsors
The only award which cannot be directly entered is the Business of the Year, because this is chosen by the judges, from all the finalists.
Nominations close at 5pm on Friday, 15th August.
Each entry will be measured against the category criteria and the judges’ four selected finalists in each will be announced in the Herald on Thursday, 28th August.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Sharon Higgins on 01789 412808 or email andy.veale@stratford-herald.com for further details.
To nominate, visit https://stratfordheraldawards.co.uk/2025/en/page/home
