Event honours female entrepreneurs
THE North West’s most successful and innovative female entrepreneurs have been celebrated at an awards ceremony.
The third North West Women in Business Awards – which took place at Ribby Hall, in Blackpool, on Friday – drew a record amount of entries from all sectors.
The winner of the start-up business of the year award was Sarah Goodall of a Clitheroe-based training organisation called The Athena Programme.
The young entrepreneur of the year title was won by Anna Heyes who founded Liverpool-based PR company, Active Profile. The creative and digital business of the year award went to Sandy Lindsay of Manchester-based Tangerine PR.
The growth business of the year award was awarded to Natasa Sabanovic of logistics company Whittle Eastern Europe and the North West business of the year award went to Jane Scott and Claire Gibson who founded Blackburn-based Keystage Teacher Supply.
The event was organised by the North West Women’s Enterprise Forum (NWWEF) and co-funded by the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and private sector sponsors including Barclays Wealth.
Elaine Owen, chair of the North West Women’s Enterprise Forum said that the event was intended to inspire more women to consider enterprise as a career.
She said: “Each year the standard of entries gets higher and the judging process becomes more difficult.
“This is a testament to the hard work and great business acumen of women entrepreneurs in the North West. This year’s event was another fantastic success and highlights the strength of female entrepreneurial talent in the North West.”
Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the NWDA, said: “Women are significantly under represented when it comes to setting up and owning their own businesses, and the agency is working with partners to address this and encourage more women to consider enterprise as a career option.
“The North West Women in Business Awards make an important contribution to supporting this agenda, showcasing the achievements of some of the region’s most talented and successful female entrepreneurs, and the agency is pleased to provide its support.”
