The Sunderland Reiki masters who have been nominated for a business award

Kevin and Kirsten Lapping have been hailed as ‘the most humble and dedicated souls’ who offer well being, mind body and soul healings and workshops in the Wearside area.

They run a shop called the Crystal Moon Emporium in Frederick Street and fans have praised them as ‘people who should really should sing loudly of all their achievements and qualifications’.

The emporium, which specialises in holistic and spiritual gifts, has been nominated for the new-look Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.

Kirsten faces a daily battle with both ME and fibromyalgia yet still is going strong as an entrepreneur.

She said being nominated was ‘amazing. I can’t believe it. It is testament to our customers that we have been nominated. They are more like a family to us.”

Kirsten won the Judges Choice Award at the Wearside Women in Business Awards in 2019.

Now the business which is run by her and husband Kevin is in the running for more success.

Kevin was in the Army for two years, in the Royal Air Force Regiment for nine years and was with the Ambulance service for 18 years before joining his wife full time at Crystal Moon Emporium.

The nomination for them added: “Kirsten and Kevin are shaman practitioner trained by shamans from Peru bringing this knowledge to Sunderland.

“Kirsten is a Priestess of Freyja, offering womb blessings and healings for those who have/had wombs. Kevin is a sacred drum practitioner offering sound healings.

“Both are trained as the highest level Reiki masters.”

This year’s awards backers include Sunderland City Council who are our partners in the competition as well as being the headline sponsors.

Also on board are the North East BIC, Chilli Mangoes, Marelli, Wilf Husband, Harrison and Brown, Gentoo, Sunderland University and Sunderland College.

Now it is over to you. We want the best in Wearside and County Durham industry to enter the awards.

To enter, choose the most appropriate category for your business, and nominate by using the link below.

You can nominate your own firm or a company which you think deserves an accolade.

For further information and to enter, visit www.sunderlandbusinessawards.co.uk

Closing date for entries is October 5. Judging will take place shortly after the closing date and the shortlist will be announced soon after.

The eventual winners will be revealed at a finals night in November.

Before then, though, we need your entries and here are the categories for this year.

Read more: Still time to put yourself among the elite

The categories:

*SME Business of the Year - (Sponsored by the North East BIC).

*Large Business of the Year - (Sponsored by Chilli Mangoes).

*Best Independent Business.

*Social Enterprise of the Year - (Sponsored by the North East BIC).

*Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Business of the Year.

*Apprentice/Trainee of the Year.

*Sustainable Initiative of the Year - (Sponsored by Marelli)

*Business in the Community Award.

*Employer of the Year.

*Entrepreneur of the Year.

*Lifetime Achievement Award.

*Business of the Year (Sponsored by Sunderland City Council).

Get those entries in and put your company in the running for honours before time runs out.