Lancashire’s top business women in the spotlight as awards finalists are revealed

Organisers of the awards, the Pink Link business networking group, said this year’s EVAS finalists were women who had shown exceptional talent and who deserved recognition for their impressive work.

From founders of global empires to micro businesses and social enterprises serving communities, a diverse range of local businesses are represented.

They include a packaging manufacturer and precision engineer, a plant based lifestyle app, natural soap makers, haulage and transport services, clothing retailers and home care services.

Coral Horn, founder of Pink Link said: "With the support of all our allies, we would like to acknowledge every single woman involved – nominees, entrants and finalists.

"You fill us with admiration and make us more determined than ever to shine the spotlight on the talented women in the region.”

“We recently heard that the EVAS are now the UK’s largest business awards dedicated solely to women. It’s a testament to how highly these awards are prized within the business community and reflects the enterprise of the women in the region.

Previous EVA winner and sponsor of the #EVAS2022 Charity of the Year Award, Jane Cole , managing director of Blackpool Transport, said: "We admire the resilience of women who do great work by loving what they do!”.

Each finalist in the Charity category is gifted a free ticket to attend the awards ceremony to help them raise the profile and much needed funds for their cause.

The judges have whittled down a shortlist for each of the eighteen categories.

Now, finalists will attend an interview with the judges where they will showcase their achievements and share their stories of growth, impact and their visions for the future.

Heather Waters, NatWest’s Regional Ecosystem Manager for the North West, said: “We are delighted to be the headline sponsor of this year’s EVAs for the ninth year running. It’s vital that we continue to recognise the hard work and achievements made by women from across our communities in the North West, and we look forward to celebrating with the finalists.”

Last year’s Retail winner, Merseyside’s Rebecca McCann of the Pro Blo Group and Sleep.London said: “For me, the connections and relationships that come from winning Retail Industry at the EVAs has been a real positive.

"The community the EVA’s has built is so empowering and supportive. I am incredibly grateful to be part of it. Not to mention being able to tell a room full of women that we have the hair tool they never knew they needed!"

All finalists will be in the running for the Outstanding Achievement Award which has previously been won by police whistle blower and campaigner for victims of sexual abuse, Maggie Oliver.

Other winners included, Susanna Lawson founder of the UK’s leading elearning portfolio OneFile and Jane Hugo of Streetlife for her work in tackling youth homelessness in Blackpool.

The awards ceremony will be on Friday, September 23, at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.

The finalists are:

Best Business

Elaine Southward - HiDef Aerial Surveying

Jannicke Ive -A Family's Best Friend

Jo Taylor – Reach and Rescue

Layla Flaherty - Urban Paws

Michelle Thompson – Unique Homecare

Sarah Giannone - New Start (NW)

Sonia Green - Chorley Vets

Business Woman

Andrea Edwards - MOVE

Annette Weekes - PDS CNC Engineering / Tooling Solutions

Charlotte Donoghue - Say It With Diamonds

Gemma McCall - Culture Shift

Jane Parry - PM+M

Sandra Cottam-Shea - SCS Logistics

Sam White - Freedom Services Group

Trudie Lauter - Link Controls

Charity of the Year

Carren Bell – Lagan’s Foundation

Deborah Dixon - The Aaron Dixon Memorial Fund / Cardiac Risk in the Young

Donna Molyneux - BECL

Jen Blackwell - DanceSyndrome

Kelly Mcfadden - Bolton Lads and Girls Club

Kila Redfearn - Blue Skies

Maura Jackson - BACKUP North West

Samantha Ashcroft - Headway Blackpool

Creative Industry

Anna Bennett - Grove Design London

Catherine Bamber - Little Things To Cherish

Ciara Moriarty - The Performance Studios

Georgia and Jade Morgan - Propel PR

Helen Dimmick - Helen Dimmick

Kimberley Thompson - Root Fifty Two

Ruth Hartnoll - Matchstick Creative

Customer Services

Ann Lupton - The Lovely Cow Shed

Leah Towers - Lola's Pub Company

Natasha Woodend - New Brooms Cleaning Services

Nichola Baker - Blue Canary Properties

Sarah Jackson - Hatters Digital Agency

Sarwat Jaleel - Kushboo Soaps

Sonya Moore - Bistro Italia

Employee

Emma Lindsay - NXT Recruitment

Jenna Atkinson - Harrison Drury

Leah Melling - 3DGBIRE

Lisa Robinson - James Places

Lisa Ross - BPRCVS

Louise Murphy -Time To Change

Melanie Horrocks - Sales Geek

Family BusinessAlison Schmid – Redmoor Health

Charlotte Knowles - Elektec

Donna Townson - Fredericks Ice Cream

Emily and Laura Leyland – Fresh Perspective

Laura Sieczkowski and Philippa Mantle – Mantle Packaging

Liz Beavis and Ruth Power - FMB

Lucy Dodd and Holly Francis - HIP Roofing

Health and Wellbeing

Abigail Ankers and Johanna Carter - Always Ear

Emma Guy - Acupuncture That Works

Emma Jarvis - Dear Bump

Helen Kimber - Hero Lifestyle

Katherine Beaumont- Full Circle Holidays

Shelley Perry - Breathe Therapies

Zoe Wilson- ZW Clinics

Hospitality Industry

Amanda Wilson - The Pie Mill

Ann Chambers - iStay Liverpool

Gina Pennington - Penningtons Tea & Coffee

Jen Perry - Room Forty

Katie Wilson - Bowland and Bay

Louise Kemp - Nineteen Agency

Seema Dalvi - Dalvi's

Internet Industry

Annette Joseph MBE - Diverse and Equal

Christina Melling - Stipendium

Georgia Wheadon - Umii

Helen Summers - Women's Football Magazine

Jody Riley - PamperBook

Mary Speakman - Code Galaxy

Rayner Croft - Plant Based Directory

Rebekah Frech - Good Liverpool

Inspirational Woman

Debbie Rogers - Sean's Place

Deborah Blades - Blackburn Rovers Community Trust

Jane James - Little Voices

Kavita Basi - Jardin Living

Lisa Maynard-Atem - Burn CIC

Mindy Cowap - The M Project Movement

Rosemarie Whittington - Me2UCentre

Siobhan Courtney - Eventus Recruitment Group

New Business

Amanda Harrington - Zerofat / At Home With Miss Harrington

Angela Marsland – Blues Baby

Heather Glover - Skarlette

Holly Challinor - Cheshire Botanicals

Joanna Hill – Sid Hill Transport

Raina Heverin - ReCulture / SupplyWell

Steph Buttery - CHU LO Drinks

Professional Services

Beverley Jones - JMW Solicitors

Elizabeth McQuillan- Flamingo Car Finance

Kaye Price - KP Financial Wellbeing

Laura Hadzik - Backhouse Jones Solicitors

Lauren Cannon - In-House Legal Solutions

Nicola Merritt - Cortus Advisory Group

Stacey Turner and Louise Myers -CG Professional

Retail Business

Amanda Parkinson and Tiffany Moore - Renes Fashion

Bel Fry - Age Concern CL

Carissa Lough - Kahu Baby

Elaine Cribb - That's Mine

Helen Hardy - Foudys

Jessica McCarthy - Bunnies That Lunch

Kate Stalker - Oubas Knitwear

Megan Jones - Curated makers

Solo Business

Dawn Elliott - Sew Confident

Natasha Diskin - Savvy Style

Harriet Taylor - J C Tweddle

Pippa Hughes - Postcake

Susie Tucker - Design Fix

Gwen Backhouse - Curlew Secretarial Solutions

Louise Bamford - Accent Language Solutions

Sustainable Business

Celia Gaze - The Wellbeing Farm

Esther Olojugba - Gola Treasures

Gaynor Thomasson - Heelz and Toez

Hilary Berry - Hedgerow Luxury Glamping

Jennifer Greenan - E-Verve Energy

Joanne Maclachlan - The Eco Friendly Living Co

Rachel Cabble - Cable and Blake

Training and Coaching

Amanda Green – Emotional Health Coach

Anica Rashid – Inspired Achievements

Carla Crivaro – Carla Crivaro Coaching

Dani Wallace - I Am The Queen Bee

Sarah Lynas – Sarah Lynas Coaching

Sue Palmer-Conn – The Divorce Coaching Academy

Traci Williams – Excel Ace

Young Entrepreneur

Briony Gorton - Talliah Rose

Helen Quayle - Laser HQ

Iz Durose - Pot Bound

Kirsty Elmer - Delilah Chloe

Steph Sear - All Natural Bakes

Tori Rosero - Glow and Blade Academy

Vanessa Brown - VL Aesthetics