25/09/2026
๐๐ WHAT A DAY! WEโRE OFFICIALLY #35 ACROSS ENGLAND & WALES! ๐๐
Yesterday was genuinely one of those โwow, is this really happening?โ moments for Scott, me and the whole team at Davenports Group Ltd.
We attended the Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers 2026 event and discovered that Davenports has been ranked 35th across England and Wales! ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ๐
Back in 2023, we were incredibly proud to be ranked 37th. Three years later, weโve climbed another TWO places to #35! ๐๐
Seeing the Davenports name and logo up there alongside so many fantastic businesses was a genuinely mind-blowing and very proud moment. โค๏ธ
And what an incredible setting for such a special occasion - the magnificent Great Hall at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London. ๐๏ธโจ It certainly made the day feel even more special.
๐ A HUGE THANK YOU TO HIGHERIN
We have to give a very special mention and congratulations to Ollie Sidwell, Chloe Burgess and the entire team behind Higherin for putting together, presenting and hosting such a fantastic event.
From the moment we arrived, everything was incredibly well organised and there was such a positive, welcoming and celebratory atmosphere in the room.
Bringing together employers from across England and Wales to recognise their commitment to apprenticeships, skills and the next generation is no small task, and the Higherin team created a brilliant experience for everyone who attended.
Ollie, Chloe and the whole Higherin team - congratulations and thank you. You should be incredibly proud of what you created. ๐๐
It was a day Scott and I will remember for a very long time. ๐
Weโd also like to give a very special thank you to the eventโs three sponsors:
โญ OneFile
โญ OAL
โญ QA - Learn. To Change.
It was fantastic hearing from Davinder Aujla, Executive Vice President at OneFile; Jan Richardson-Wilde, Chief Executive Officer at OAL; and Jo Bishenden, Chief Learning Officer at QA, and having the opportunity to meet and speak with people who share such a passion for skills, learning and apprenticeships.
๐ฌ๐ง It was also fantastic to hear from Praful Nargund, Director of the Good Growth Foundation and Skills Advisor to the DWP Secretary of State.
Hearing from a speaker connected with the Department for Work and Pensions added another important dimension to the day, highlighting the role employers and apprenticeships play in developing skills and creating opportunities for the workforce of the future. ๐ฌ๐ง๐
It was a powerful reminder of the important role employers play by investing in people and developing talent.
For us, apprenticeships have never simply been about giving someone a job. Theyโre about giving people an opportunity, helping them learn, listening to their ideas, building their confidence and giving them the chance to develop a career.
We believe that when you invest in people, people invest in your business. ๐
๐ AND NOW FOR SOMEONE WHO DESERVES A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOUโฆ OUR SUE SOPER. ๐
There is one truly important person at Davenports who Scott and I simply cannot allow this moment to pass without recognising - Sue Soper, our HR Manager.
Sue is one of those incredible people who quietly keeps Davenports on the right track and makes sure so much happens behind the scenes.
Her knowledge, passion and genuinely caring nature towards our apprentices are a massive part of why we are standing here today celebrating national recognition once again.
Sue works closely with Oldham College and Bolton College, supporting our apprentices throughout their journey and making sure they have the guidance, encouragement and opportunities they need to succeed.
But Sue doesnโt just deal with paperwork, processes and apprenticeships.
She cares about people. โค๏ธ
And that makes all the difference.
Sue, Scott and I want you to know just how much we appreciate you. You are a massive part of why Davenports has received this recognition, and we feel truly blessed to have you as part of our Davenports family. ๐๐
People sometimes hear Scott and me referring to Davenports as โour babyโ, and we genuinely mean it.
Davenports is like our child. ๐
For more than 25 years, we have loved it, cared for it, nurtured it, educated it, protected its reputation and watched it grow.
Like any proud parents, we have experienced the highs, the lows, the challenges and those moments when you stand back and think:
โWowโฆ look how far weโve come.โ
But no business grows for more than 25 years because of two people alone.
It grows because incredible people choose to become part of its journey.
Sue, you are one of those people. โค๏ธ
From me and Scott, thank you for everything you do for our apprentices, our team and our baby, Davenports. We are truly blessed to have you. ๐
๐ AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR DAVENPORTS FAMILYโฆ
We also want to give a very special mention to Daniel, Scott, Lewis, Anthony and Nick. ๐๐
Every one of you plays your own important part in the Davenports story, and Scott and I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU for being part of our Davenports family.
It takes a whole team of people, with different talents, personalities, ideas and skills, to keep a business moving forward.
The recognition might say Davenports Group Ltd on the certificate, but behind that name are real people who turn up, work hard, support one another, look after our customers and help us continue building the business we love. ๐
Daniel, Scott, Lewis, Anthony and Nick - thank you for everything you bring to Davenports and for being part of this journey with us. ๐
And to every other member of Team Davenports, past and present, please know that this achievement belongs to you too.
#35 belongs to ALL of us. ๐๐
And there was another particularly proud Davenports moment tooโฆ
๐ฌ OUR VERY OWN DAVENPORTS VIDEO WAS SHOWN AT THE EVENT!
A massive well done to Josh from our Marketing Department, who created the fantastic video. ๐ฅ๐
And an extra well done to Anthony, who featured in the video and did an absolutely brilliant job representing Davenports and our amazing apprentices. ๐
Great work, Josh and Anthony - you did us proud! ๐
To receive this recognition across England and Wales again and actually move further up the rankings means so much to us.
A massive THANK YOU to every apprentice, past and present, and to our entire Davenports team. You are the people who have helped make achievements like this possible. ๐
From a business in Bury, Greater Manchester, to being recognised amongst the Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers across England and Walesโฆ
Weโre feeling incredibly proud. ๐ฅ๐
And, of course, Scott and I couldnโt resist pointing at NUMBER 35 for the obligatory photo! ๐๐
๐๐ DAVENPORTS GROUP LTD - #35 ACROSS ENGLAND & WALES! ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ๐
More than 25 years in business, countless people through our doors, generations of apprentices given opportunities and another incredible chapter added to the Davenports story.
Hereโs to our apprentices.
Hereโs to Sue.
Hereโs to Josh.
Hereโs to Daniel, Scott, Lewis, Anthony and Nick.
Hereโs to every member of our amazing team.
And hereโs to continuing to nurture our โbabyโ Davenports for many more years to come. ๐๐ฅ
Because although Scott and I may have started and nurtured our baby, it takes the whole Davenports family to help it grow. โค๏ธ
We will keep investing in people, developing future talent and creating opportunities for the next generation of our workforce. ๐ฌ๐ง๐
From Jason & Scott Davenport โค๏ธ
