Oldham Business Awards honour man helping former prisoners build a better future

The man behind a social enterprise bakery providing jobs and training opportunities for former prisoners was the winner of the Special Recognition Award at this year’s Oldham Business Awards.

Lee Wakeham of HM Pasties served two prison terms before turning his life around and launching the bakery seven years ago. 

The Special Recognition Award was created by the Oldham Business Award (OBA) steering group to recognise someone who has gone above and beyond for the borough and for society. 

In an interview with The Grocer magazine earlier this year, Lee explained that it was during his second jail term that he was recommended to seek counselling by his barrister, which proved a turning point in what had been a troubled life growing up in and out of foster care. 

He later began working with prison leavers in various capacities before hitting on the idea of HM Pasties – which stands for Hand Made Pasties while being a clever play on the prison system that Lee, who now lives in Saddleworth, knew only too well. 

HM Pasties makes about 15,000 pies, pasties and sausage rolls a week and is on track to make a profit for the first time this year, supplying a chain of 46 pubs, sports teams and major foodservice groups. 

At any one time about a quarter of its workforce is either still in prison on day-release or recently released. 

Prison leavers are referred by the prison or probation service and spend three months working at the bakery on Pennant Industrial Estate while Lee and his team find them a permanent job elsewhere, creating an opportunity for a new prison leaver. 

Lee has also founded the HM Pasties Foundation, a charity working closely with prisons, the probation service and local organisations to support individuals both inside and outside the criminal justice system through mentoring, skills training and tailored support. 

More than 450 people attended the Great Gatsby-themed Oldham Business Awards evening, held at The Loom in Oldham for the first time after 17 years at the town’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. 

And it also proved an excellent night for First Choice Homes Oldham. The housing association, which owns and manages 11,500 homes across the borough, won a hat trick of awards – Business of the Year £5m+, Supporting Young People and Workforce Health and Wellbeing. 

This year’s awards also included three new categories – Sustainable Innovation, Heart of the High Street and Community Impact Awards, won respectively by: 

· Recycling PVC Ltd, which helps firms and tradespeople recycle scrap uPVC window frames, doors and profile offcuts. 

· ZUTTI Co, a family-run fashion store first established in 1980. 

· Fullcircle Community Interest Company NW, which provides youth work, community development, and alternative education programmes. 

Here is a list of all the winners: 

· Special Recognition Award – Lee Wakeham of HM Pasties 

· Business of the Year £5m+ - First Choice Homes: Oldham. 

· Business of the Year £1m-£5m – BS Entwistle Electrical Contractors Ltd 

· Business of the Year up to £1m – Sports Physio UK. 

· Businessperson of the Year – Melvyn Pryce, Heyside Group 

· Micro Business of the Year – the Dawn Torrington Award – Eternal Health. 

· Start-Up – Emplas Commercial (North) Ltd 

· Young Entrepreneur – Iona Ackerman, Eternal Health. 

· Community Impact – Fullcircle CIC NW 

· Supporting Young People – First Choice Homes: Oldham 

· Workforce Health and Wellbeing – First Choice Homes: Oldham 

· Sustainable Innovation - Recycling PVC Ltd 

· Heart of the High Street – ZUTTI Co 

Hosted by OBA stalwart Caroline Whitmore of ITV Granada Reports, and once again featuring entertainment from radio DJ, comedian and actor Justin Moorhouse, this year’s OBAs were the 18th to recognise business excellence, acumen, and entrepreneurial spirit among Oldham’s business community. 

Live music was provided by The Not Quite Big Band during the gala dinner and continued into the night for the post-awards party. There were also plenty of chances to win some fabulous raffle prizes with all proceeds going to Mahdlo Youth Zone and Dr Kershaw’s Hospice.