UK National Pest Awards - Sole Trader of the Year
Nominations for the category of National Pest Awards' Sole Trader of the Year:
Andrew Hancock, Greenway Integrated Pest Management
Greenway Integrated Pest Management was founded by Andrew Hancock in April 2017. He has a degree in environmental science from Newcastle University and a BTEC in countryside management from Northumberland College.
Andrew said: “My goal is to prove that you can run a successful pest control service that relies less on chemicals and operationally does not have a large environmental footprint – I have built this into every element of the business.”
In May 2020, Andrew gained the Level 3 Award in pest management.
“It was great to achieve this Award as it has given me the ability to demonstrate to my clients that I am able to provide a highly competent, knowledgeable service,” he said.
“I have also undertaken training in drain surveys, insect identification and bedbug management.”
Matthew Freeman, Hawthorn Pest Control
Matthew Freeman established Hawthorn Pest Control in 2008. Today, the Tyne & Wear-based business provides pest control services to the residential, commercial and agricultural sectors.
Matthew said that he has worked hard to build a professional reputation where his customers trust and respect that whatever the pest control need, he will control, manage or eradicate the pest.
While Matthew provides a pest control service to manage all pests, at the heart of his business are the traditional pest control methods of ferreting, mole management, fox control and squirrel management.
Matthew’s qualifications include the RSPH Level 2 Award in Pest Management, which also enabled the business to become a full member of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA). More recently, he has completed the BPCA-accredited course Becoming a Field Biologist/ Becoming a Technical Inspector.
Matthew said that winning this category would be “recognition of all the hard work”.
Phil Martin, PGM & Son Pest Control
Phil Martin is the owner of Herefordshire- based business PGM & Son Pest Control. The company offers pest control solutions to businesses and residential customers throughout the county, although it has also served customers in the surrounding counties of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
The business was founded in 2017 by Phil and he said that the business has gone from strength-to-strength.
In the 2019/20 tax year, the business more than doubled its turnover from the previous year.
Phil said: “Our combined work ethic and increased turnover in the previous year enabled us to weather the pandemic.
"Our ethos is preventative pest control, putting customers and the environment at the heart of what we do.
“We’ve managed to continue to provide critical public health services throughout 2020 and 2021, helping local people and supporting local businesses.”
"We were delighted to have been nominated for the second time in the Awards.
"Being recognised by your peers is incredibly humbling and for a small, family run business like ours it’s a real springboard to driving the business forward."
Winning this category, Phil said, would give the business “the boost to push on”.
