Wendy Haines Travel has been named a finalist in the 2025 Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards, shortlisted in the Established Business of the year Midlands category.
Known as “The Grammys of Entrepreneurship”, the awards celebrate the most exceptional and inspiring business stories across the UK. This year’s shortlist includes over 800 entrepreneurs from every nation and region of the UK, all recognised for their innovation, impact and resilience.
Past winners include the founders of BrewDog, Grenade, ClearScore, Zilch, and Unbiased, many of whom were recognised early in their entrepreneurial journey by the awards.
This year’s finalists:
- Employ over 25,000 people across the UK
- Expect to create more than 9,000 new jobs over the next year
- Generate a combined turnover of £2.25 billion
- Represent an average business age of six years
Wendy Haines, founder of Wendy Haines Travel and Wendy’s Wanderers, said:
“I’m beyond chuffed to be a finalist for such a prestigious award. I’d like to thank everyone that supports my business in any way. Huge thanks also to Jane and Claire who work with me. We all work very hard to ensure our clients have the holiday they dreamed of. I think I’ve been shortlisted as I have shown consistent growth despite many industry challenges including COVID. I’ve identified opportunities including the introduction of Wendy’s Wanderers- escorted trips for solo ladies. I now employ two members of staff and regularly support local charities. I also plant a tree with every booking made, to help offset Carbon emissions. ”
Wendy Haines Travel is based at The Courtyard at The Craythorne, Stretton and has been established for 13 years, whilst Wendy has been working in the travel industry for 35 years!
The Great British Entrepreneur Awards are proudly supported by Allica Bank, a champion of established SMEs across the UK.
Conrad Ford, Chief Product & Strategy Officer at Allica said:
“At Allica, we’re consistently inspired by the energy and strength of UK SMEs. This year’s finalists – from early-stage start-ups to established and family businesses – represent a vital force in the British economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and making a real difference in their communities. We’re proud to support the Great British Entrepreneur Awards for the third year in a row, recognising these outstanding business leaders who are not only demonstrating resilience in a challenging business environment but are paving the way for future entrepreneurs to follow.”
Frankie James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, added:
“We’re so proud to reveal this year’s shortlist, a truly remarkable group of founders who are changing lives and transforming industries. The quality of entries gets stronger every year, and it’s clear that the entrepreneurial spirit in the UK is more alive than ever.
Many of our finalists go on to become household names, and we can’t wait to watch what this year’s cohort achieves next.”
Winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony on Monday, November 17th 2025, held at London’s Grosvenor House, where over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders will come together to celebrate entrepreneurial success.
It is with thanks to national and regional sponsors Allica Bank, ADHD 360, Airwallex, Caudwell Children, Channel Funnels, de Novo Solutions, EliteBusinessLive, FundOnion, Great Influence, Join Talent, Mettryx, Quidos, Randal Charitable Foundation, ScoreApp, UBS Wealth Management and Vestd that the Great British Entrepreneur Awards has been able to celebrate the very best of Great British entrepreneurs for 13 years.
To learn more about the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, visit www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com.
