TWO companies from Ross-on-Wye and Hereford won category awards at a ceremony celebrating small businesses.

There were 32 finalists competing across 12 award categories at the West Midlands heat of the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Celebrating Small Business Awards 2018.

There were three finalists from Herefordshire: Julu Ltd from Ross-on-Wye, plus Voodoochilli Design and Mills Mobility Aids, both from Hereford.

Of these three, Julu and Voodoochilli Design went on to win category awards.

JuLu Limited won the category of Business and Product Innovation for their product, The Laundry Ladder.

Meanwhile, web design company Voodoo Chilli Design won the Community Award in recognition of their help and support for local causes over many years.

They will now join the other West Midlands winners to compete in the national final in May.

The Laundry Ladder is a wall hanging clothes airer - a clever twist on the old-fashioned ceiling airer.

Julia Adams, joint director of Julu, attended the awards ceremony and said: “It’s been an amazing day. I am proud of the Laundry Ladder and of being one of two companies from Herefordshire to collect an award."

Harry O’Connor, managing director and Hannah Garside, studio manager of Voodoochilli Design also attended the awards ceremony.

Harry said: “Although we have hundreds of commercial clients we have always had strong focus on community work and use our skills to help benefit the local community. We are immensely proud to have been recognised for this with the West Midlands Community Award and to now have the opportunity to represent the county at a national level at the award finals in London."