NATWEST Business and Commercial Banking has become the latest sponsor to join The Press Business Awards 2010.

The bank is backing the Large Business Of The Year Award, one of 14 categories whose winners will be announced at the finals ceremony in The Voltigeur Suite at York Racecourse tomorrow night.

NatWest’s involvement in this year’s awards programme – the 20th anniversary – reflects its support for enterprise in North Yorkshire.

Eugene Taylor, NatWest’s director for business and commercial banking in North Yorkshire, said: “We are always looking to support local businesses, and we are particularly passionate about helping people succeed.”

Finalists in the Large Business Of The Year category are York Racecourse Hospitality – the racecourse contract arm of the £18 million turnover CGC Events; the 160-employee Benenden Healthcare Society of Holgate Park Drive, York, which provides healthcare services, mainly to public-sector workers and their families; and the £10 million turnover Gear4music.com which from its showroom base in York Business Park provides an internet service to sell music and instruments to more than 200,000 customers across the UK and Europe.

Tomorrow’s awards are the culmination of a five-month search to find the best that business has to offer in York and North and East Yorkshire.

Even in the teeth of an economic downturn, the number of entries overall equalled the 20-year record.

The ultimate prize – the winner of winners – will be the John Guy Memorial Trophy, which honours the head of adviser services of the former Business Link York and North Yorkshire, who died in April, 2006.

Master of ceremonies will be Colin Hazelden, while guest speaker will be Richard Gregory, the chairman of Science City York and former managing director of Yorkshire Television.

Another major highlight will be the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by CPP.