Phoenix Media Marketing wins Shooting Star at the BHBiz26 Business Awards
On Thursday 24 September 2026, under the oak beams of Pangdean Barn at Pyecombe, the Burgess Hill Business Parks Association brought the Mid Sussex business community together for the BHBiz26 Business Awards. Around nine o'clock, with more than 170 people holding their breath, our name was read out as the winner of the Shooting Star award.
We're still a little stunned, and enormously grateful to the judges, sponsors, fellow finalists and everyone who came to celebrate business in Burgess Hill.
A record year
BHBiz is one of the biggest business awards in Mid Sussex, and this year saw over sixty finalists across ten categories, with Sherrards Employment Law Solicitors as headline sponsor. Guests were welcomed with Sussex fizz from Ridgeview Wine Estate, dancers performed A Midsummer Night's Dream beneath the barn's mulberry tree, and Nikky Currie's team served a locally sourced dinner. Richard Cox, Chief Executive of the BHBPA, called it "A Mid Sussex Night's Dream", and it was.
Alison Bennett, MP for Mid Sussex, spoke warmly about the jobs, energy and talent local businesses bring to Burgess Hill. The evening also raised over £2,500 for St Peter & St James Hospice, which cares for adults with life limiting illnesses and their families across the area. You can donate to the hospice here.
The Shooting Star award
Sponsored by UK Growth Coach, Shooting Star recognises businesses that have grown with resilience, innovation and leadership in challenging times. We were shortlisted alongside PVL UK Limited, Remarkabull Marketing and Social Innovation 4 All CIC, three businesses we admire enormously and shooting stars in their own right. It meant a great deal to receive this award from Tim Rylatt and a sponsor who understands what growth really costs.
A word from Stuart
Founder Stuart Farrell-Humphrey said:
"I have never felt prouder of a team than on Thursday night. This award belongs to every member of the Phoenix team and every client who has trusted us. Growth for us is about doing better work, learning new things, especially in AI search and generative engine optimisation, and helping local businesses be found by the people who need them."
A word from Tommy
Tommy James, a finalist in the Bright Star category, said:
"Being shortlisted was a real surprise, and then to see Phoenix win Shooting Star on the same night was brilliant. Burgess Hill really does look after its own."
Four nominations
Alongside our win, we were finalists for Team of Stars, Stuart was shortlisted for Excellence in Leadership, and Tommy for Bright Star. We also provided the evening's flowers, a small way of giving something back.
As head judge Susan Fleet MBE told the room: "Being a finalist is a tremendous achievement, and you should all be immensely proud of what you have accomplished."
Our thanks
To Richard Cox and the organising committee, Susan Fleet MBE and the judges, Sherrards and every category sponsor, Pangdean Barn, Ridgeview, the students of Burgess Hill Girls, the hospice volunteers, Alison Bennett MP, and the Mid Sussex Times and Sussex Express. And to our clients: this award is yours too.
About Phoenix Media Marketing
Phoenix Media Marketing is a full service marketing agency in Haywards Heath and a proud BHBPA member. We help Sussex and South East businesses with SEO, AI search and GEO, PPC, content, digital PR, social media and video.
Whether you want to be found on Google, appear in AI search, or tell your story better, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch here, or say hello at the next BHBPA networking event.
Want to work with an award-winning marketing team? Book a free discovery call with Stuart and the team today: 01444 523105
