If you’re looking for marketing that actually moves the needle, sponsoring the Wigan Business Awards 2026 is as close to a no-brainer as it gets.
At the most basic level, it’s a cost-effective marketing opportunity.
But, in reality, it’s much more than that.
Sponsorship puts your brand at the heart of an independently judged, merit-based, award-winning campaign that runs for a whole 12 months and reaches deep into the Wigan and Leigh business community.
Work it out, with payment plans available
You gain broader exposure, meaningful connections, and a visible role in championing the businesses that keep our local economy moving.
Visibility with Real Credibility
As a sponsor, your name won’t just appear on a poster and then vanish.
You become part of the story we tell from the moment you join us to the awards night and beyond.
Sponsors benefit from regional PR and media coverage, social content, email campaigns, website mentions, sponsor spotlights and, of course, branding on the night itself in front of a room full of prominent business owners and decision-makers.
507 people joined us in 2025!
That visibility sits inside a campaign that has been recognised in its own right. (We did it!)
The Wigan Business Awards marketing campaign is award-winning, giving you a powerful halo effect.
When you align your brand with it, you’re borrowing that credibility.
CSC2 Cyber Consulting is a great example.
Chris Smith from CSC2 won Freelancer of the Year in 2024, then returned to sponsor the same category in 2025, and here’s what he had to say:
Fantastic event! The Wigan Business Awards were a great night of celebration and recognition.
The atmosphere was electric, and the awards ceremony was well-organised. It was inspiring to see so many talented businesses and individuals being honoured.
A big congratulations to all the winners and special mention to the organisers – Launch North West
For sponsors like Chris, the link is clear: the more involved you are, the more your brand benefits from that buzz.
In the Room with the Right People
Sponsoring the Wigan Business Awards will give you the visibility you crave, and it gives you proximity.
Throughout the campaign, you’re in the mix with business owners, senior leaders, influencers, judges, finalists, and future collaborators.
The awards become an easy, natural way to open doors that might otherwise take months of cold outreach.
Naomi Timperley presenting Amy’s Little Studio with their Creative and Digital Business of the Year Award in 2024.
As Naomi Timperley from Tech North Advocates and Computer Weekly’s No.1 Most Influential Woman in Tech 2025 shared:
Brilliant event! Well done to the organisers so wonderful to see so many amazing businesses from Wigan! Can’t wait for next year’s event!
If you want to be where ambition, energy, and opportunity gather, this is where it happens.
Sponsorship That Feeds the Local Economy
This campaign is rooted here.
In the 2025 campaign we:
- Worked with 29 North West suppliers.
- 26 of those were based in Wigan and Leigh.
- £46,991.46 went directly back into the local economy. (27.64% increase on 2024 campaign)
From trophies, flowers, hampers, AV and print, to food, drink and decor, we deliberately spend locally wherever we can.
Even the venue, The Edge, is community-owned, meaning profits go back into essential services and resources that support local people.
Sponsors like James Carman from 365 People Support see that impact first-hand.
Sponsors of Hospitality Business of the Year in 2024 and Employer of the Year in 2025, James said:
Being able to support and see local success celebrated is a real privilege. The Wigan Business Awards provided the most prestigious recognition of local Wigan businesses this year, and I look forward to celebrating the achievements of so many amazing businesses across the categories.
When you sponsor, you’re backing a whole ecosystem.
Why So Many Sponsors Come Back
One of the strongest signals that these sponsorships work is simple: people return.
Businesses start with a category or element of the event, feel the benefit, and then either renew or increase their involvement the following year.
Our room décor partners Resurrection Promotions put it better than we could:
What can I possibly say?! What a night! Every detail, planned and executed with impeccable flair. An award ceremony with all the suspense and pageantry of any world-class ceremony and a jam-packed schedule of entertainment. Can’t wait for next year!
Once you’ve experienced the campaign from the inside, the visibility, the connections, the pride of being visibly “one of the good ones”, continuing as a sponsor just makes sense.
Why 2026 Is the Year to Say Yes
By sponsoring the Wigan Business Awards 2026, you’re:
- Attaching your name to an independently judged, merit-based, award-winning campaign.
- Putting your brand in front of an engaged, local audience that actually buys and refers.
- Showing customers, employees and partners that you invest in something bigger than your own bottom line.
- Helping recognise and reward the businesses that make Wigan and Leigh a brilliant place to live and work.
Whether you’re a sole trader, growing independent or a larger organisation, there’s a sponsorship option that can work for your budget and your goals.
The value you receive in visibility, trust, and relationships far outweighs the spend.
This is a chance to stand in the middle of the story Wigan is telling about itself.
We’re making history.
Ready to Talk Sponsorship?
If you’ve ever watched the awards and thought, “Next year, we should be part of that”, this is your sign.
Don’t just sit in the audience. Don’t just clap from the sidelines.
Get in touch to learn more about Wigan Business Awards 2026 sponsorship opportunities and find the right fit for your business.
Let’s raise your profile, keep the pound in Wigan, and celebrate the businesses that do things the right way, together.
Join Us
Wigan Business Awards 2026 takes place on Friday, the 6th of November at The Edge Conference Centre, Wigan.
