STAFF from firms across Oxfordshire will meet tonight in the hope of claiming prizes at this year's Oxfordshire Business Awards.

Twelve main categories span innovation, charity and community, small business, large business, business person of the year, young business person of the year, new business, apprenticeship, marketing excellence, cultural and tourism, environment and employer of the year.

Finalists from these categories are also considered for the overall Business of the Year title, sponsored by electrical contractors Darke & Taylor.

More than 500 business leaders are expected to attend the 23rd annual final at the King’s Centre in Osney Mead, Oxford, and will start to gather for the black tie dinner at 6pm.

Judges met last month at Jurys Inn hotel, in North Oxford, to shortlist three finalists for each awards category.

Awards chairman Paul Lowe said: “All the tickets have been sold and everyone is looking forward to the big night.

“Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth is our compere so we are looking forward to a very entertaining evening.

“There is a real buzz about this year’s awards and lots of people have told us they are looking forward to the awards at our new venue.

“Oxfordshire is a fantastic place to do business and the awards are testimony to that.”

The Oxford Mail's sister paper The Oxford Times supports the Charity and Community Award, which was won last year by Oxford-based employment charity Aspire Oxford.

It is traditional for last year’s charity award winner to be given the proceeds of the raffle on the night of the final.

Other sponsors for the awards include Oxford Science Park, Knights law firm, accountants Shaw Gibbs, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Oxfordshire Apprenticeships, NatWest, marketing agency The Syndicut, recruitment agency Hays, broadcaster Heart and Bicester-based Brita water filters.

Management consultants Newton Europe won last year’s Darke & Taylor Business of the Year title.

See oxfordshirebusinessawards.co.uk