A happy 10th birthday to Sunderland firm as it hopes to become an award winner

The Sunderland Foot Clinic is bidding to win the small business category of the annual business competition.

And directors Amy Ham and Sharon Dixon told how the firm has grown from when it first started 10 years ago.

The pair met while they were working in Newcastle NHS “with a vision of having our own business. In 2006 this dream became reality.”

The Sunderland Foot Clinic is a community based business in the heart of Southwick. When it first opened, it offered foot care treatments from a single chair clinic to private patients, and employed two members of staff.

Since then, it has grown to become a bigger clinic with increased opening hours, seven members of staff and delivering current and specialist treatments.

It also offers a domiciliary service which has increased over the years for patients with mobility problems who are housebound and now offers four sessions per week.

The two founders described themselves as “very motivated and ambitious” and told how they have brought in new technology, developed the website and offered online bookings.

There’s been significant investment in reshaping the business, as well as the firm winning an NHS contract as part of a consortium to treat NHS patients referred to the practice via the GP.

It has meant a huge expansion which has seen the clinic go from 520 treatments in 2006 to 6100 treatments in the last year.

The firm celebrated 10 years of success by inviting patients to afternoon tea at Southwick Community Centre.

The bosses said their success “derives from our professional, friendly and caring approach to all of our patients. We are dedicated to our patients and the community in which we serve. We want to continue to grow and help maintain the foot care of people in Sunderland and surrounding areas.”

The firm joins a growing list of nominations for the awards, which now have less than a month left for people to nominate.

Make it Sunderland is again our headline sponsor, and will sponsor our overall Business of the Year Award, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award, which is in the sponsor’s gift.

Make It Sunderland is also backing the contribution social enterprises make to the city in the Social Enterprise Award. Other sponsors are Maxim, Quayside Exchange, K&L Groundworks, UKasl, North East Business & Innovation Centre (BIC), Gentoo, Age UK Sunderland, The Bridges, Stagecoach North East, TTR Barnes and Sunderland College.

To nominate, send your name, address and telephone number, the name of the person or business you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known).

State which category your nomination applies to (from the list of categories) and provide a description of the reasons for your nomination (no more than 300 words). Post your nomination to: Nicola Meldrum, Alexander House, Second Floor, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland. DH4 5RA, or email [email protected] or [email protected].

Nominations must be received by September 2.