INSPIRATIONAL achievers from Warwickshire are among the finalists named in the fourth Ladies First Network Business Awards, being held next month.
Entrants from 25 categories have been selected from more than 270 nominations by a panel of 18 judges from across the UK at a special event in Coventry on Monday.
The winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony, hosted by BBC radio presenter Sandra Godley, on March 24th at Coombe Abbey.
The awards, which returns to a live event following the pandemic, will also raise money for two West Midlands charities, St Basils and Suited For Success.
St Basils works with young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, to enable them to find and keep a home, grow their confidence, develop their skills and increase opportunities.
Established in Birmingham, the charity now has 42 accommodation projects across the West Midlands, including Leamington, Coventry, Solihull, Sandwell, Walsall, Bromsgrove, Redditch and Kidderminster.
Further information about St Basils can be found here
Established in 2016, award-winning charity Suited For Success helps unemployed men and women in Warwickshire and the West Midlands prepare for a job interview by providing free coaching, employment preparation skills and interview clothing.
Further information about Suited For Success can be found here
The new categories introduced this year are: Excellence in Health & Wellbeing, Digital Star, Man of the Year, Employer of the Year, Excellence in Education, Achieves in Marketing, Family Business, Service Provider of the Year and International Award – attracting entries from as far afield as Australia and South Africa.
Young people are also in sharper focus at this year’s awards which champion Young Entrepreneur and Inspirational Young Achiever.
Awards organiser and Ladies First Network Leader, Tracey McAtamney from Balsall Common, said: “Interview Day was a fabulous occasion. It never ceases to amaze me just how many talented and inspirational people I get to meet – this year starting at just 10 years old, our youngest ever nomination. Also, some remarkable women in business and inspirational lives, some incredible family businesses including a third generation business, husband and wife teams, an over 50’s all-female punk band and not forgetting a micro pigs business! – So many achievements to celebrate.”
For further information about the awards visit here
To enquire about sponsorship opportunities contact Tracey McAtamney at: tracey@ladiesfirstnetwork.co.uk
The finalists:
Digital Star
Emily Cordwell – Online Toolbox, New Zealand
Sandy Hearn – Elite PA Solutions, Rugby
Amy Hobson – Focus your Future UK, Solihull
Sharon Louca – Women’s Business Networking Ltd, Tamworth
Jacqueline Leake – V A Services Nuneaton
Achieves for the Community
Louise Gilliard-Owen & Kate Porreta – The Horse and People Project, Coventry
Sharon Brooks – Headway Brain Injury Charity, Coventry
Fay Goodman – Goodmedia, Birmingham
Anita Dalton – Kenilworth
Christine Eade & Sarah Laughton – The POD Café, Coventry
Excellence in Education
Catherine Cossey – The Piano School, Coventry
Benita Belgrove – Bluecoat School, Coventry
Marie Crowder Shona Wallace Megan Lee – Nicola Smyth Academy, Leamington/Warwick/Kenilworth
Amandine Stone – Tutor in a Box, Leamington
Suneta Bagri – Teach well, Toolkit, Coventry
Man of the Year
John Coote – Coventry Comfort Carers Homeless Outreach Project, Coventry
Michael Mogan – Mogan and Mogan, Coventry
Dan Smyth Humphriss – Nicola Smyth, Leamington
Mark Elson – Pipistrelle Art, Exhall
Trevor Parkinson – Millie’s Paws Hydrotherapy Centre and Studio, Coventry
Achieves in Business (Employee)
Leanne Horne – Air Aesthetics Clinic, Henley-in Arden
Sarah Millington – Unique Venues, Birmingham
Carey Munn – Pertemps Network Group, Meriden
Kathy Halstead Smyth – Nicola Smyth
Corrine Seaborne – Alsters Kelley, Coventry
Achieves Through Networking
Amy Hobson – Connexions, Solihull
Sarah Millington – Unique Venues, Birmingham
Sharon Louca – Women’s Business Networking Limited, Tamworth
Yvonne McCabe – Minute Man Press, Hall Green
Amanda Bourne – Findabiz, Nuneaton
Advocate for Women
Andrea de Gabriel Robertson – Andrea de Gabriel Portrait Photography, Nuneaton
The Verinos – All Female Band, Leicester
Sarah Gray – Sarah Gray Styling, Leamington
Charlie Smith – Jennie Bear Blue, Balsall Common
Achieves for Charity
Jessica Weeks – Hannah’s House, Coventry
Emma Hallam – Alex’s Wish, Loughborough
Louise Hepburn – The Centaurus Trust, Wootton Wawen
Georgina Mosely – Help Harry, Help Others Charity, Birmingham
Service Provider of the Year
Lisa Whittleton – Illuminate VR, Kenilworth
Jayne Chambers – Haigs Hotel & McKees Restaurant, Balsall Common
Amy O’Keeffe – CTT Accounting Leamington
Abigail Farnham – Pertemps Network Group
Geraldine Davies – Senior Care Support, Solihull
Excellence in Health & Wellbeing
Julie Dalton – Elite Health & Wellness, Coventry
Asha Bezron – Inspired to Change, Balsall Common
Lorraine Checklin – Flourish Health and Wellbeing, Meriden
Julia Mitchell – Healthy Steps, Shrewley
Dr Verity Biggs – NHS GP Coventry, Balsall Common
Julie Garner – CBD Skindeep, Kenilworth
Woman of Achievement
Angela Gordon – I Love Inspiring Ltd, Rugby
Robyn Allen – Robyn Allen Solutions, Rothwell
Suzanne Reid Barreiro de Silva – Unique Venues, Birmingham
Samm Bain – Meriden Media
Fay Goodman – Goodmedia, Birmingham
STEM Award
Alexandra Knight – Stemazing, Morpeth
Ewa Truchanowicz – Dignio, Birmingham
Helen Routledge – Totem Learning, Coventry
Andrea Lowe – Accountable Solutions, Rugby
Ellen Badat – Purple Tree Solutions, Gloucester
Inspirational Woman
Siwan Smith – Anchored In, Liverpool
Sonia Parnell – Liberty House Care Homes, Birmingham
Suneta Bagri – Teach well, ToolKit, Coventry
Fay Goodman – Goodmedia, Birmingham
Natalie Heeley-Shields – Forever Living, Mollington
Business Entrepreneur
Amy Davies – Madame Caci Lounge & Store & Stove, Balsall Common
Leanne Armstrong – Black Ivy Design, Coventry
Olivia Mikail – Kew Little Pigs, Amersham
Donna Vaughan – Millies Paws Hydrotherapy Centre and Grooming Studio, Coventry
Taruna Chauhan – T Chauhan Consultancy Ltd. Coventry
Business Entrepreneur (Under 30)
Rebecca Cooke – George’s Swim Academy & Claudies Club, Solihull
Hannah Williams – Scribble Inc. Shropshire
Anisa Morridadi – Beatfreeks, Birmingham
Ananya Prajapati – artist, Coventry
Lauren Coombes – Pitch and Party Limited, Balsall Common
Businesswoman of The Year
Olivia Mikhail – Kew Little Pigs, Amersham
Michelle Kirkham – International Automotive Components Group (IAC Group), Coventry
Leanne Armstrong Peapell – Black Ivy Design, Coventry
Bal Heer- Regional Homes, Birmingham
Family Business of the Year
Kate Hunter – Bear Cleaning, Kenilworth
Ruth & Gillian Bridges – J Roberts SPV Ltd, Sutton Coldfield
Jayne Chambers – Haigs Hotel & McKees Restaurant, Balsall Common
Yvonne McCabe – Minute Man Press, Hall Green
Jo Watson – Halo Hair and Beauty, Balsall Common
Couple of the Year
Claudia & Richard Bramble – Bramble Dining, Leamington Spa
Charlotte & Jolyon Olivier – Napton Cidery, Napton-on-the-Hill
Gina & Ian Reinge -The Reinge Clinic, Kenilworth
Kelsey & William Seymour – St Maur, Alcester
Nichola & John Kelsey – Welcombe Hills Vineyard, Stratford-upon-Avon
Unique Business
Lauren Coombes – Pitch and Party Limited, Balsall Common
Olivia Mikhail – Kew Little Pigs, Amersham
Jessica Moorley – Bread for Life, Leamington Spa
Phaedra Elson – Pipistrelle Art, Exhall
Debbie Lynn – Violinist, Coventry
New Business of the Year
Nikki Watson – Solihull Baby Massage
Helen Bradley – Quirky Little Bird, Coventry
Claudia & Richard Bramble – Bramble Dining, Leamington Spa
William & Kelsey Seymour – St Maur, Alcester
Helen Pritchett – The Soap Sisters, Birmingham
Successful Career from Home
Taran Natt – Mum’s Bistro, Meriden
Maxine Round – Pure Nails & Beauty, Balsall Common
Colette Jacobs – Hounds ‘n’ Harmony, Coventry
Lindsay Gillespie – Pawsome Pooches, Balsall Common
Isabel Lawson – Isabel’s Flowers, Balsall Common
Marketing Award
Colette Bratton – Small Business Equaliser, Lichfield
Felicity Newsome – Sheldon Bosley Knight, Stratford-upon-Avon
Vicki Bravington – Shakespeare Media, Stratford-upon-Avon
Katie Wilber – Cotswold Connected, Stratford-upon-Avon
Louise Wood & Natalie Corcoran – Lime Communications, Leamington Spa
Venue Award
Coombe Abbey
Binswood Hall
Telegraph Hotel
Wroxall Abbey
Woman of Courage
Veronica Kumeta – Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer, Birmingham
Rachel Ollerenshaw – Molly Ollys, Warwick
Andrea Rainsford – SEO Angel, Tamworth
Louise Bates – Heathcote Holistics, Leamington Spa
Sharon Luca Chatha – The Luca Foundation, Coventry
International Award
Innocentia Mahlangu – SHEngineers, South Africa
May Zaki – Rashaqa by May, Australia
Emily Coldwell – Online Toolbox, New Zealand
Inspirational Young Achiever
Twins Stacey & Tracey William from Coventry
Twins Alice & Hattie Mogan from Coventry
