Sandy Park hosts THE NOTTY’S

Sandy Park was transformed into a glittering business awards ceremony venue to celebrate 15 worthy winners of THE NOTTY’S 2025.

Run by THE NOTWORKING NETWORKING CLUB, THE NOTTY’S are designed to recognise the best in the business, according to a panel of five judges, including Sandy Park Stadium and Exeter Rugby Club’s COO Natasha Pavis.

THE NOTTY'S were launched to be accessible, fair, meaningful and fun.

THE NOTWORKING NETWORKING CLUB’s founder Chris Bentley said: “We were fed up watching the usual suspects scoop up awards for all the wrong reasons. So instead of complaining, we built something different.”

Award categories ranged from The Dream Team to the Techspert and Sustainability Superstars to Hospitality Heroes, with Best Business in Business the ultimate prize.

Block Workspace carried home the top award, but special mention should go to Exeter Chiefs Women’s superfan Lexi Chambers for her world record-breaking and fundraising antics in her standard wheelchair.

Chambers won the Phil Sampson Silver Lining Award for “Celebrating the person who always has a positive mindset, inspiring and motivating others with their unwavering optimism” with her John O’Groats to Land’s End challenge last year.

Nearly 400 businesspeople gathered in the Exeter Suite at Sandy Park to enjoy a three-course dinner-dance. There was definitely a lot of not working going on!

Bentley added: “It has been a real privilege to return to Sandy Park and celebrate some the region’s best businesses at what is one of the region’s best businesses. I make no secret of the fact I spent 13 years at Sandy Park as a rugby professional and to return in my latest chapter fulfils the club motto of Semper Fidelis. From the menu curated by Chef Beecham to the operations staff on the day to the SP team helping to plan the night, this has been a fantastic experience and we’re already plotting 2026.”

The club was founded in 2018 and holds networking events throughout the year. It has a strict no-pitching rule and are held at venues that appeal to the right kind of people. The next THE NOTWORKING NETWORKING CLUB event is being held at Rockfish in Exeter on January 22. Find out more here.