Norman Stoller walks tall with Ambassador award
NEWLY-crowned North West Business Masters Ambassador Norman Stoller stole the show with an inspirational address to a packed audience at the awards ceremony.
The self-effacing millionaire philanthropist won the hearts and the respect of the audience at Manchester’s Midland Hotel with a moving address after being announced winner by Paul Jefferson of award sponsor, law firm Gateley.
The 80-year-old son of Oldham set up the Stoller Charitable Trust 20 years ago, and just as millions have flowed into his various enterprises, so they have also flowed out to various good causes – a total of £10m has gone to North West charities alone.
The diminutive businessman, who owned Seton Healthcare, the inventor of the tubular bandage, and who made £60m from the flotation of Bolton white goods retailer AO.com, quipped: “For the benefit of those at the back of the room, I really am standing up.
“But when I pick up this trophy I feel about as tall as the tallest of you here.
“All of us have to look to the next generation of young people if we want to live in a land where there is enterprise and enthusiasm and we owe it to them to give them a hand.”
True to his ideals, the Stoller Trust funded a £7.5m concert hall at Cheetham’s school of music in Manchester, a £2.5m donation for a new organ at Manchester Cathdral, and the pledge of another £1m to the hard-pressed Oldham Enterprise Fund.
He has also funded a youth club called Mahdlo (Oldham spelled backwards), which has given teenagers in the town a focal point to meet.
He went on: “We have tried to do what we can, particularly in Oldham, which is the centre of the universe, but I couldn’t have done any of it without the trustees of the Stoller Charitable Trust and I want to place on record that it is their combined help that has enabled me to stand before you now.
“We don’t give any money away, we give money back and if you can do that I think you can start to feel you are really getting somewhere in life.
“At Seton, to watch people come through an organisation and grow was a great thrill.
“Tonight, a young man came over to our table and introduced himself and told me that his success in life was down to the ideals he learnt at Seton. I can’t tell you how much pride and pleasure I got from that comment.
“A company is only as good as its people. It is not its machinery, or its buildings it is the people who are the life and soul of the organisation.”
Other nominations for the Ambassador Award were: Lawrence Jones, UKFast
and Maurice Watkins of Brabners.
