INSPIRATIONAL achievers from Warwickshire have been named among the finalists in the seventh Ladies First Network Business and Inspirational Women Awards.
Finalists, selected from hundreds of nominations from across the UK, were invited to an independent judging day at Mallory Court Country House Hotel & Spa in Leamington, ahead of a prestigious awards ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club, in Southam, on June 5th.
A host of new categories are among the 20 being contested this year, including Women of Courage; Excellence In Independent Food Businesses; Excellence In Marketing & Media; Women in Property and Inclusive Leadership/Women on Boards.
The gongs are also honouring, among others, Start-up of the Year, Trailblazer/Entrepreneur; Excellence In Health and Wellbeing; Charity of the Year & Community Advocate, Family Business of the Year, Business Consultant; Excellence in professional Services; Excellence In Technology; Start-Up and Business Man of the Year. Big awards on the night will also be presented to Inspirational Women and Business Woman of the Year as well as Lifetime Achievement.
Headline sponsors are Edwards Wealth, in Berkswell; Alsters Kelley Solicitors, which has branches in Coventry and Warwickshire; Midlands-based recruitment agency Pertemps Network; IXL Centre in Southam; Mallory Court Country House in Leamington; Bia’s Kitchen Show in Leamington and Sandhu Foods.
The Awards were unveiled at The House of Commons in February and are headed up by Ladies First director Tracey McAtamney from Balsall Common.
Tracey said: “What an incredible day filled with inspiration, introductions and networking, Mallory Court was buzzing with six teams of judges and ninety finalists across the day. A huge thank you to all of our sponsors, finalists, judges and Ladies First Team for making the day so special.”
Finalists from Warwickshire dominate the Business Woman of the Year category, including Sophie Howe of Comtec Translations in Leamington; Abigail Edmunds from Domino Style in Stratford; Jenny Hooper of Independent Freight in Nuneaton and Clare Randall, of Stonewall Security, in Rugby.
Among those competing for Business Man of the Year are: Chris Pickering of L Pickering & Sons in Warwick; David Perry of Dave Perry Photography, from Leamington; Steve Bazell of That Gin Company and That Burger Company in Warwick and Shipston and Malcolm Freeman of Oxygen Elements, Rugby.
The Charity of the Year category includes You Can Flourish in Leamington; Arrive Alive Charity, in Henley and Helping Hands in Leamington, while the Community Award finalists include The Esther Project, in Leamington; Linda John, of The Rotary Club of Leamington; Priory Pools Community Centre, in Warwick and Warwickshire Parent Career Voice.
While Community of the Year is represented by Lianne Kirkman for The Esther Project, in Leamington; Amanda Burford, for Priory Pools Community Centre Charity, in Warwick; Linda John, for Leamington Rotary Club and Elaine Lambe for Warwickshire Parent Career Voice
The region takes a clean sweep with finalists for the Family Business category – with The Fleur de Lys, in Lowsonford up against The Stratford Park Hotel & Golf Club in Stratford; The Pin Wheel Patisserie Ltd, in Leamington; AH Spares in Southam; Aubrey Allen in Leamington and Fabulous Suppers in Stratford.
And vying in the Trailblazer category are Molly Shanahan, of Forrest Coffee House in Kenilworth; Toni Rowles, of Vogue International Hairdressing, in Leamington and Emma Betteridge, of Mucky Pups Training Academy, in Bulkington.
Up for two awards are: Amanda Chalmers, from Warwick, (Excellence In Media & Marketing and Excellence In Professional Services); Iliada Rossi of Rossi Studio, Warwick (Excellence In Technology & Innovation and Women In Property); Dr Hazel Parkinson, from Southam (Excellence In Health & Wellbeing Beauty and Start-up of the Year); Clare Haynes from Wildfire, Leamington; (Business Coach of the Year) and Emma and Nick Woodhouse from The Fleur de Lys pub in Lowsonford (Family Business of the Year and Excellence In Independent Food Business.)
The three local finalists are: Reena Jaisiah of Caste Away Arts (Inclusive Leadership/Women On Boards); Lindsey Gillespie, of Pawesome Pets Grooming School (Trailblazer); and Sophie Hyam, of Culinary Bites with Sophie (Excellence In Independent Food Industry).
Full list:
Business Woman of the Year (Sponsored by Edwards Wealth)
Sophie Howe – Comtec Translations, Leamington
Abigail Edmunds – Domino Style, Stratford
Jenny Hooper – Independent Freight, Nuneaton
Clare Randall – Stonewall Security, Rugby
Lauren Guthrie – Guthrie & Ghani Ltd, Birmingham
Business Consultant/Coach of the Year (Sponsored by Pentlands Accountants)
Clare Haynes – WildFire, Leamington
Kerrianne Cartmer-Edwards – Unforgettable Impact, Leamington
Sarah Cooper-Robins – Inner Leader, Leamington
Excellence in Marketing & Media (Sponsored by Shakespeare Media)
Amanda Chalmers – Chalmers News PR, Warwick
Harpreet Stevenson – Collective Companion, Warwickshire
Laura Bradley – Sock and Buskin Marketing & PR, Warwickshire
Emily Burton – The Valley, Evesham
Inclusive Leadership/Women on Boards (Sponsored by Pertemps Network Group)
Reena Jaisiah – Caste Away Arts, Coventry
Jenny Hooper – Independent Freight, Nuneaton
Sophie Howe – Comtec Translations, Leamington
Trusha Lakhani – Great Business Matters, Hinckley
Rising Star & Future Leader (Sponsored by Alsters Kelley Solicitors)
Gabriela Goldberg – Trainee Solicitor, Birmingham
Donna Fletcher – Social Work Toolkit, Coleshill
Rachel Kerr – Albert & Mae Wealth Management, Kenilworth
Cllr Mariam Khan – Birmingham City Council, Birmingham
Woman of Courage (Sponsored by Nailcote Hall)
Emily Burton – The Valley, Evesham
Jade Horton – Merkaba Holistics, Stamford
Gemma Mills – Born2Sing, Birmingham
Natalie Heeley – Forever Living, Worcester
Danielle Mosson Jessie’s Journey, Staffordshire
Maxine Faulder – AboutFace Training, Birmingham
Trailblazer (Sponsored by Chalmers News PR)
Molly Shanahan – Forrest Coffee House, Kenilworth
Toni Rowles – Vogue International Hairdressing, Leamington
Lindsey Gillespie – Pawesome Pets Grooming School, Coventry
Gemma Mills – Born2Sing, Birmingham
Louise Baker – Womanic, Birmingham
Emma Betteridge – Mucky Pups Training Academy, Bulkington
Charity of the Year (Sponsored by Mallory Court)
Jenny Dean – You Can Flourish, Leamington
Debbie Roscoe – Arrive Alive Charity, Henley
Stacey Calder – Helping Hands, Leamington
Sarah Raven Price – Ravens Rescue UK, Dudley
Community of the Year (Sponsored by Mallory Court)
Lianne Kirkman – The Esther Project, Leamington
Amanda Burford Priory Pools Community Centre Charity, Warwick
Linda John – Rotary Club, Leamington
Elaine Lambe – Warwickshire Parent Career Voice, Warwickshire
Caroline Phansi – Contento Social Homes CIC, Birmingham
Louise Baker – Auto Angels, Birmingham
Women in Property (Sponsored by Feldon Dunsmore Solicitors)
Nicola Williams – Ewe Move, Leamington
Preeti Lekhi – Seymours Solicitors, Leamington
Iliada Rossi – Rossi Studio Ltd, Warwick
Family Business (Sponsored by Franklin & Hawkins)
Emma & Nick Woodhouse – The Fleur de Lys, Lowsonford
Beverly Haynes – The Stratford Park Hotel & Golf Club, Stratford
Keira Row – The Pin Wheel Patisserie Ltd, Leamington
Rebecca Kemsley – AH Spares, Southam
Lucianne Allen – Aubrey Allen, Leamington
Tracy Benbow & Wendy Coris – Fabulous Suppers, Stratford
Excellence in Health & Wellbeing (Sponsored by Air Aesthetics)
Nikki Lawrance, Laura Tatlow, Adele Fyfield – Retreat With Us, Redditch
Mandy Rees – Mother for Life, Birmingham
Kendal Tipper – Wellbeing Consultant, Birmingham
Jade Horton – Merkaba Holistics, Stamford
Donna Maria-Grant – Tummy2Mummy Midwifery & Scanning Services, Hinckley
Excellence in Health & Beauty (Sponsored by Ladies First)
Dr Hazel Parkinson – Dr Hazel Skin Solutions, Southam
Tracy Richardson – Serendipity Wellness® Rugby
Doreth Abrahams – Laydidee’s Natural Skincare Ltd, Wolverhampton
Paola Spiga – Glam & Glow Beauty Lab, Hockley Heath
Excellence in Technology (Sponsored by Leap IT)
Alana Patchett – Purple Monster, Warwick
Laura Seymour – Fish In A Bottle, Leamington
Mari Carmen – Matresa, Leamington
Donna Fletcher – Social Work Toolkit, Coleshill
Iliada Rossi – Rossi Studio, Warwick
Laura Barrow Collins – Aerospace Actuation Systems, Stafford
Influencer of the Year (Sponsored by Audley Binswood)
Bianca Perry – Bia’s Kitchen Show, Leamington
Clare Haynes – Wildfire, Leamington
Kimberley Spivey – Craft Beer Pin Up, Leamington
Maxine Faulder – AboutFace, Solihull
Michelle Cooper – Make New Friends, Birmingham
Start-up of the Year (Sponsored by Glam & Glow Beauty Lab)
Natalka Hunka – Aspire HR & Training Consultants, Knowle
Dr Hazel Parkinson – Dr Hazel Skin Solutions, Southam
Justyna Kruzyk – Muddy Munchkins Playgroup, Stratford
Rebecca Blay – Fantasy Gymnastics Club, Solihull
Toni Delli-Compagni – Little Ensemble, Bicester
Leanne Tulley – Art of Beauty Medical Aesthetics, Birmingham
Excellence in Professional Services (Sponsored by Alsters Kelley Solicitors)
Amanda Chalmers – Chalmers News PR, Warwick
Elinor Perry – Pentlands Accountants, Leamington
Samantha Aspin – Elite Funeral Services, Stalybridge, Manchester
Beverly Clarke – Spear Travel, Stratford
Iliada Rossi – Rossi Studio, Warwick
Business Man of the Year (Sponsored by Pertemps Network Group)
Dave Perry – Dave Perry Photography, Leamington
Chris Pickering – L. Pickering & Sons, Warwick
Steve Bazell – That Gin Company, Warwick & That Burger Company, Shipston
Chris Boehm – Leap IT, Hockley Heath/Balsall Common
Sam Olive – Wine Freedom Ltd, Chipping Norton
Malcolm Freeman – Oxygen Elements, Rugby
Inspirational Man of the Year (Sponsored by Pertemps Network Group)
Joe Best – Perfect Support, Blackpool
Ronaldo Hare – Men’s Prosperity Club, C.I.C Birmingham
Daniel Skermer – PA Forum, Birmingham
Excellence in food (Sponsored by Bia’s Kitchen Show)
Cynthia Tamraz – Café Desa, Leamington
Emma & Nick Woodhouse – The Fleur de Lys, Lowsonford
Cathy Homer – Posh Pudding Pots, Nuneaton
Sophie Hyam – Culinary Bites with Sophie, Coventry
Molly Shanahan, Forrest Coffee House, Kenilworth
For the full list of finalists HERE.
This year’s awards are also supporting fundraising for vital cancer equipment for local hospitals.
To enquire about sponsorship opportunities contact Tracey McAtamney at: tracey@ladiesfirstnetwork.co.uk
