Local London > News > Newham

E-businesses shine at Newham Business Awards 2023

On 23 November, our team had the pleasure of attending the Newham Business Awards 2023, hosted by the Newham Chamber of Commerce.

The awards ceremony and gala dinner held at The Old Town Hall in Stratford, was an opportunity to celebrate some of the outstanding businesses in the borough.

Newham College, who deliver the Local London E-business programme in Newham, Havering, and Barking and Dagenham, sponsored the ‘E-Business of the year’ award. The category’s shortlist comprised some of the fabulous micro and small businesses who have been taken to the next level with help from the free programme, including winners on the night: OC Homes.

OC Homes (One Click Homes) was established by Newham born and raised brothers, Priyesh and Amar Upadhyaya, with an ambition to meet the needs of the growing property market in Newham, Waltham Forest and across East London. With an online focussed vision for the business from the outset, the pandemic accelerated their plans to go digital.

Award winners OC Homes hold their prize on stage in front of an audience.

The judges were impressed with their dedication to developing a fully online business. Within the space of around 12 months, and with the help of the E-business Programme delivered by Newham College, they have done just that.

Tony Varghese, Sales Director, OC Homes said “The E-Business programme helped us to strive, mainly after Covid where the industry was in danger. Not being able to do viewings and do business as we usually would, we almost reset, started again and the programme helped us to do a lot of things that other agencies were not doing digitally, and it’s put us here where we are today. Serving people of Newham.”

Newham Business Awards 2023 – E-Business of the year

Cut glass award for E-business of the year won by OC Homes at the Newham Business Awards 2023.

Read more about the awards 

Enjoy the same success as over 1600 businesses like yours

Over 1,600 local businesses in Newham, Barking and Dagenham and Havering are growing with free support from the E-business Programme delivered by Newham College, and the number is growing every month.

This support is fully-funded, meaning micro and SME business owners and sole traders who have been operational for over 6 months can get help to get more digital at no cost to them.

The programme begins with a consultation to get to you and your business, which is used to create a bespoke plan to help you achieve your ambitions. Through workshops, events and one-to-one training sessions you can learn how to market your business online, streamline processes, reach more customers and more.

Get in touch with the E-Business Programme delivered by Newham College

Where the team work:

  • Newham – Main college campus location is in East Ham but the team can also be found at Solar House, Stratford or Institute of Technology, and The Grove, Our Newham
  • Havering – Havering Town Hall, Romford BID and CEME
  • Barking and Dagenham – Barking Library, Make It Barking

 ⇒ Visit newham.ac.uk/ebusiness to find out about the programme in Newham, Havering and Barking and Dagenham.

In a different borough? We’ve got you.

⇒ Visit South East Enterprise to find out about the programme in Greenwich, Bexley, Bromley

⇒ Visit Enterprise Enfield to find out about the programme in Enfield, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

Related news

Read some of our E-business success stories.

View news and resources, by tag:

Further reading

  1. Previous Young people discover green careers and tech changing the world of work
  2. Next Small Business Saturday – our offer to SMEs