A human rights lawyer, an AI consultant and a branding expert are among the winners of the community’s most prestigious business awards.

Vicki Prais scooped Freelancer of the Year Award at the annual Work Avenue Business Awards on Tuesday for her work in human rights.

Vicki, who works as both a lawyer and a consultant, advises oraganisations and civil society on ways to put human rights at the top of their agenda.

She said: “I love the work that I do, so to see it honoured in this way is very special. I genuinely believe there is a place for everybody in the human rights world. It just takes a bit of courage and resilience to get there.”

With a strong interest in the penal system, she said: “I care deeply about prisoners’ rights, prison reform and dignity behind bars. My passion for this work started when I volunteered at a prison crèche as a student, and that experience resonates with me to this day.”

Human rights lawyer Vicki Prais scooped Freelancer of the Year at the Work Avenue Business Awards (Photo: vickiprais.com)

The most popular category was Micro Business of the Year, open to any company with less than five employees. The AI training and consultancy firm, Hartz AI, won in this category.

Founder and CEO Craig Hartzel told the evening’s attendees that the business was born shortly after he was invited by Work Avenue to speak at one of their events about AI.

He said Work Avenue was “the most amazing” organisation, where “everyone is so supportive – from their team of advisers to the rest of the staff to the other members and clients".

“I would highly recommend them to anyone starting a business and looking for advice, support and/or a place to work,” he said.

The award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year went to to Dan Kraines and Scott Hircombe, who founded the marketing agency Paramater during the pandemic under lockdown.

They credited “instrumental” Work Avenue with helping them to set up Paramater and giving them “the support and confidence we needed to get going”.

Stephen Moses (lright) with Work Avenue Business Awards judge Clive Kahn (Credit: Leivi Saltman )

The biggest award of the night went to an entrepreneur whose aim is to take the stress out of “death admin”.

Stephen Moses, founder of Zenplans, picked up the Business of the Year Award for his company Zenplans, which helps estate advisers organise all their clients’ vital documentation and information into a secure digital estate plan, ensuring everything is accessible and in one place when it is needed.

Stephen created the company after chatting to his dad about what would happen if his father were to die and the difficulty in tracking and accessing everything across multiple databases and records.

Building the business at Work Avenue’s co-working space, WE Hub in Finchley, north-west London, where the awards ceremony also took place, Stephen said it was “really amazing” to receive the award standing in the same place where they started the company five years ago.

He said: “We began with an idea on a piece of paper, and Work Avenue and the network created at WE Hub helped turn it into a reality. This place really does incredible things for our community.”

Jewish Blind and Disabled was named Charity Employer of the Year at the Work Avenue Business Awards; (pictured) a JBD tenant runs a session for the charity's schools programme (Photo: JBD)

Jewish Blind & Disabled was named Charity Employer of the Year, a brand-new award introduced this year, which recognises the positive impact which charities play in providing stable, secure and supportive employment opportunities.

Jewish Blind & Disabled chief executive Lisa Wimborne said: “I pick this up not for myself, but for our amazing, dedicated 60-strong workforce, who do such an incredible job in a time of ever-growing demand for our services.

“Our staff retention last year was over 95 per cent, and it is because of them that our charity is the organisation it is today, providing person-centred support services for the tenants that we house and people living in their own homes.”

The Work Avenue Business Awards were launched in 2018 to honour businesses from across the community and around the country. This year, they received a record 110 nominations their awards.

Speaking at the ceremony, the charity’s CEO Debbie Lebrett said: “For more than 18 years, Work Avenue has been committed to one overriding mission: empowering individuals to earn a living with dignity. Whether through securing employment or launching their own businesses, we provide the tools, training and support to make dreams a reality.

“Our finalists and winners represent the very best of our community, from a truly outstanding pool of contenders.”