Awards will celebrate inspirational women in business

"Every year we look forward to championing women who deserve recognition but who don’t go looking for the spotlight."

A prestigious event at London’s House of Commons marked the launch of a Warwickshire-based national awards campaign to celebrate the country’s most inspirational female business achievers.

The sixth Ladies First Professional Development Awards will highlight success stories and raise funds for The Giles Trust Brain Tumour Fund at its awards ceremony in the summer. The Awards are headed up by Ladies First directors Tracey McAtamney from Balsall Common and Karen Massey from Leamington.

A host of new categories are among the 20 being contested this year, including Sustainable Business Leader, Trailblazer of the Year and Inclusivity Leadership Award. Other categories include Start-up of the Year, Excellence In Technology and Innovation, Excellence In Health and Wellbeing, Charity/Community Champion, Campaign of the Year, Family Business of the Year, Business Resilience Award and Business Woman of the Year, as well as seeing the return of the popular men’s category, Man of the Year.

This year’s awards are supporting The Giles Trust Brain Tumour Fund, founded in 2015 by former England cricketer Ashley Giles MBE and his wife Stine, who was diagnosed with three brain tumours over 12 years. The charity raises funds for research, pioneering equipment and support for patients.

Tracey McAtamney has been recognised nationally for her work with the networking group as well as her charity The Surviving Bereavement Foundation, which provides practical and emotional support for those coping with loss.

Tracey said: “Every year we look forward to championing women who deserve recognition but who don’t go looking for the spotlight, so we want to shine it on them. This year’s awards are going to be the Ladies First’s biggest and brightest celebration of these women yet and we’re incredibly excited to be partnering with such amazing individuals such as Colleen and Stine, who set the tone perfectly at the launch day, along with the incredible setting of The House of Commons.”

Finalists will be invited to an independent judging day at Mallory Court in Leamington on April 8th before the glittering awards night at IXL Dallas Burston Polo Club, near Southam, on June 13th.

Closing date for nominations is March 12th. For further information about how to nominate, please visit: https://ladiesfirstnetwork.co.uk/ladies-first-awards/