Whilst working as an end of life vet, running her own crematorium, Anita has developed plans to build a treatment centre for elderly pet patients where their owners can stay with them throughout procedures and [...]

The Constance Award is one made in honour of the founder’s mother and is made at her discretion. Since its inception in 2018, only three awards have been presented. This year, the Award was presented [...]

Having suffered from postpartum psychosis 13 years ago after the birth of her son, Eve now does extensive voluntary work to support maternal mental health. “By the time Joe was three days old, I had [...]

Karen aims to draw awareness to child criminal & sexual exploitation (CSE), and educate parents, carers and members of the public, on how to keep our young people safe. Through Karen’s tenacious passion for making [...]

In 2020, Nicole started her business, The Fruit Moth whilst shielding with Type One Diabetes. Realising that she needed an outlet for her creativity, she decided, for the first time since completing her Fashion Design [...]

How does someone with a background (and PhD) in Branding, Marketing and Journalism find herself becoming an inventor, engineer and creating a business converting waste plastic into usable fuel? Environmentally conscious from early age Medha, [...]

Marcella founded Can-Survive UK (support and information for people with cancer) from her home in 2016 with a phone, laptop and unbounded passion to provide culturally appropriate support to Black people and other minority communities [...]

Gaynor founded Heelz and Toez as a business committed to disrupting the children’s footwear market by enabling the manufacture of completely recyclable shoes made wholly from recycled products. Her mission? To create shoes that are [...]

Kerry is a qualified forensic psychologist specialising in working with violent and sexual offenders. She began her career at the notorious HMP Wakefield, a Category A men’s prison which houses a large number of high-profile, [...]

In 2020, Jennie sold her business, Kids Allowed, and retired for a life of leisure. Fast forward a year and a friend sent her a video of their baby, sharing how proud they were of [...]

Nana is a Ghanaian Social Entrepreneur helping female Agribusiness founders and women farmers to make impact. She is currently the President of Direct Impact Foundation (an organisation that seeks to bridge the wide gap between [...]

Pakistan is one of the lowest-performing countries in the Southeast Asian region in terms of access to primary education, its quality, and learning outcomes, with an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 not attending school. [...]

“We are changing the narrative when it comes to females and personal finance, and we will be the brand females think of when they make a financial decision.” Fed up with dipping into her overdraft [...]

The strength of a mother is second to none. In 2018, Sahira founded the organisation Mums United, in response to rising gang violence in her community in Sheffield. Sahira is a strong and inspiring woman [...]

(During the pandemic) “Whether it is bringing vacant spaces into use to help with respiratory care and testing, overspill parking for NHS staff or supporting occupiers’ evolving premises needs, the team is here to support.” [...]

“She is a true believer in people, instilling the vision that anyone can reach their potential and it is this contribution of attributes that make her a formidable and inspiring leader, mentor, and woman”. Beckie [...]

  The Constance Award is presented in memory of the Founder’s Mum, Connie. For most, our Mothers are our earliest role models, our cheerleaders, quietly supporting us or protecting us when needed. We do not [...]

Food poverty may not be anything new, but the rising number of struggling families and Marcus Rashford’s successful campaign has made it one of the dominant issues of the past few years. One woman who [...]

“Her passion for and absolute commitment to increasing the breadth of opportunities for women in the industry is clear to see and she works tirelessly to encourage women to realise their full potential”. Victoria Knight [...]

Anita Birchall launched the Threshold Housing First pilot in 2015. The charity’s programme works with women who have been released from prison, using Housing First to curb reoffending rates and protect women from violence. Now [...]

Christine Ditchfield and her husband Stephen launched Three Pugs Gin on the decking at the back of the house in Spring 2016 and life has been like a rollercoaster ever since! After learning the ropes, [...]

Sinéad Collins is the Centre Head at Maggie’s Manchester having previously worked as an oncology advanced practitioner. Although she enjoyed her clinical role, she always had a burning passion to help and support people both [...]

Sally-Ann Wilkinson co-founded Wild in Art with Charlie Langhorne in 2008 after they worked together on CowParade Manchester. Before that she worked at Granada Television during its time when it was voted the best television company in [...]

The Inspiring Women Awards shine a light on hundreds of inspirational women from all walks of life in the North West of England and North Wales. Publicly celebrating and promoting the achievements of women in [...]

Dr Shikha Pitalia is an award winning entrepreneurial doctor who, from small beginnings in 2002, has brought improved healthcare for hundredsofthousandsofpatientsacrossthe North West. SSPHealthis the largest provider of primary care GP services in the North [...]

The inaugural Constance Award  In 1985, this woman was made redundant from a job in the insurance world. She used her £2,500 redundancy cheque to found her own firm, which she ran from her Kitchen [...]

Eve is a director and co-founder at Happen Together CIC. She is passionate about people, community and equality. Eve left her career as a solicitor to focus on working with people to help them make [...]

As CEO of Bolton Young Person’s Housing Scheme, which provides accommodation and support  for young people aged 16-25 who face homelessness and sexual exploitation.  Maura has transformed the charity, growing the  turnover from £465k in [...]

Sara was appointed CEO of the £97m turnover company Hotter Shoes in 2016 as part of a new leadership team with a track record in turnaround and growth in omni- channel businesses. Hotter is the [...]

When Jennifer was getting married she realised that she was going to find it very difficult to find beautiful shoes that fitted her feet, as she suffered from bunions. Scouring the internet she discovered there [...]

A Graduate in Biomedical Sciences, Aisha started her own cosmetic business 3 years ago As a teenager she always struggled to find the correct products for acne and hyperpigmentation, leading to self-confidence issues. Difficulties whilst [...]

CEO of Berg Legal, Alison has used her experience as a commercial litigator to create a department nationally recognised for its expertise, unusually representing both employers and employees, and advising across the whole range of [...]

In 2016 the Lalley Toy Appeal was able to provide a Christmas sack of toys to 1,900 children in the Manchester and Cheshire area. Each toy sack is made specifically for each child, based on [...]

Maggie Noone is the Sales Director of R Noone and Son Ltd, a fresh produce distribution company based in Bredbury, Stockport. She’s not always been in veg however, with a successful career in pharmaceutical sales [...]

This award was dedicated to the work of Emmaline Pankhurst and awarded to Cllr Andrew Simcock in recognition of his achievement in bringing recognition of Mrs Pankhurst to the fore and leading the fundraising for [...]

Jayne Hynes 2016 Entrepreneur Award Winner  Spotting a gap in the market when she spent her evenings and weekends cooking, pureeing and freezing mini meals for her two daughters as there wasn’t a convenient, healthy [...]

Myra Ball, Jennifer Burd & Estelle Mathieson 2016 Public Sector Front Line Winners In 2014, following an inspection into domestic abuse (DA) in Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Police needed a force level action plan which included [...]

Marine Millard 2016 Business Award Winner  Following senior roles at Refresco Gerber and Macaw Soft Drinks, Marnie was appointed MD of Vimto Nichols in 2012, becoming Group CEO of Nichols in 2013. This family business still [...]

Aitha Chaudry 2016 Community Award Winner  Atiha is the epitome of the quiet, modest and tireless worker who is the backbone of communities that would be poorer without her. She has spent more than 20 [...]

Moneypenny - Rachel Clacher 2015 Nurturing Female Talent Award Winner Working with a pre-dominantly female workforce, Miss Moneypenny has developed a culture supportive of them, from consulting on the way the new purpose built offices [...]

Rachel Clacher Business Award Winner Miss Moneypenny was established in 2000 by Brother and Sister Rachel Clacher and Ed Reeves who, following a poor experience with a telephone answering service, wondered if they could do it [...]

Rebecca McCann 2015 Entrepreneur Award Winner Bank Employee, Rebecca discovered a gap in the market whilst looking for easier ways to get a curly blow dry without going to the hairdressers. She started by carving out [...]

Victoria Armstrong 2015 Community Award Winner Victoria came to Manchester as a student in the early 1990s and settled in Gorton. She was shocked by the levels of poverty and deprivation around her and scared by [...]

Christine Cort 2015 Inspirational Leadership in Arts & Culture Award Winner Christine started her career at Riverside Studios where she worked with many great artists including Kenneth Branagh, Vanessa Redgrave, Gore Vidal and Max Wall, [...]

Jennifer Atkinson 2014 Business Award Winner Jennifer joined ITC, a family run business, in 2006 as Marketing Manager. By 2009 ITC recorded it's biggest losses in its 35 year history as a result of declining sales, [...]

Sarah Gallagher 2014 Entrepreneur Award Winner Sarah recently retrained as a chocolatier to follow her passion and set up her own chocolaterie. Her business, set up on a shoestring has within 18 months, traded on [...]

Dr Sheila Kanani 2014 Technology Award Winner LSheila is a space scientist and an educator, using the inspiring qualities of astronomy to enthuse disengaged students into doing science. She has the admirable and tough job [...]

Jean Sant 2014 Community Award Winner Whilst the Brownie movement is celebrating 100 years in 2014, Jean Sant is celebrating her own milestone as the Brown Owl in Sale Moor for over 50 years.  Although now [...]

Laing O'Rourke 2014 Nurturing Female Talent Award Winner Laing O'Rourke's vision is to challenge and change the perception of the industry to ensure that construction and engineering careers are seen as exciting and relevant for [...]

Joanne Thompson & Nicola Graham 2013 Community Award Winners Joanne Thompson On October 23rd 2012 Millie’s daddy, Dan took her to nursery school for her third day, just before lunchtime Joanne received a telephone call [...]

Lisa Tse 2013 Entrepreneur Winner Award Winner Lisa set up the Sweet Mandarin Sauce company last year and has built a manufacturing business from scratch. It is now sold in 500 Sainsbury stores; Selfridges; Amazon.co.uk; [...]

Paula Solomon 2013 BBC Radio Manchester Heroine Award When Paula’s 20 year old son Martin was struck down a second time from Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma, he was told that without a bone marrow/stem cell [...]

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell 2013 Business Award Winner Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, became President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester in 2010 and is a distinguished life scientist specialising in neuroscience. In 2004 she [...]

Sue Woodward 2013 Creative & Media Award Winner Susan is the Project Director for The Sharp Project - a digital media development in East Manchester which focuses on growing the digital and creative sector utilising [...]

Clippy McKenna 2012 Entrepreneur Award Winner  Clippy's dedication is simple - preserving the British Apple. Although she's now producing tens of thousands of jars per month, not one foreign imposter apple will be aqueezed, juiced [...]

Kate Spall 2012 Community Award Winner  For the past 5 years Kate has successfully battled for cancer patients who are refused new cancer drugs. Galvanised by her mother, Pamela's fight against kidney cancer, Kate spent hours [...]

Tracy Mort 2012 Business Award Winner  Tracy formed Grace cole (Cosmetics) on 1st February 2007 in the kitchen of her home in North Manchester as a result of the business where she was an employee folding. [...]

Maria McGeoghan 2012 Creative & Media Award Winner  Maria was the first woman editor in the history of the Manchester evening News and was at the heart of the huge changes at the M.E.N as [...]

Dr Sylvia Sham 2011 Community Award Winner  From a childhood of abject poverty as a refugee in Hong Kong to developing the UK's largest ethnic minority's women's organisation, Sylvia has dedicated herself to improving the [...]

Jennie Johnson 2011 Business Award Winner  Frustrated at being unable to find adequate childcare centres for her children, Jennue founded Kids Allowed back in 2003. Each nursery is based in new build accommodation, with Jennie seeking funding [...]

Sita Williams 2011 Creative & Media Winner Award Winner  Sita has been producing award winning drama for over twenty years. From Lost For Words starring Dame Thora Hird and Pete Postlethwaite which won and Emmy for [...]

Claire Fryer 2011 Social Entrepreneur Award Winner At aged just 28, Claire has already set up and sold one business and is now building her second business as a social enterprise: The Mosaic Group. Following a [...]

Terrie Johnson 2010 Social Entrepreneur Award Winner  Terrie is the founder of ‘fruit to suit’. Finding herself struggling to find a home/life balance that fitted around her young family, Terrie combined her two passions, working [...]

Jane Davies 2010 Business Award Winner  Jane was appointed CEO of Manchester Science Park (MSP) in 2000 and remains the only female CEO of a science park ten years later. During this time Jane has gained [...]

Irene Brown 2010 Community Award Winner For the past 10 years Irene Brown, along with her husband, has helped the homeless, dispossessed and those living on the margins of society in Manchester. Taking their van out [...]

Dominique Whittington 2016 Public Sector Award Winner Dominique is a senior manager within the Special Projects Section for Manchester City Council, which manages and delivers the City’s large scale capital regeneration projects following the 1997 bombing [...]

Ally Melling 2009 Public Sector Award Winner Ally has been involved in youth work for 25 years, at the grass roots as well as shaping policy at government levels. From a disadvantage background and with [...]

Donna Hall 2008 Public Sector Award Winner "It was amazing! I'm still in shock! The Awards were truly magical.....there was a frisson of excitement and anticipation right from the start. I was so proud to [...]

Caroline Shaw 2007 Public Sector Award Winner Through strong and enterprising leadership, Caroline Shaw has implemented ambitious plans in her 20 months as chief executive of Christie cancer hospital, responsible for a £130m budget, 2000 [...]

Heather Green 2006 Community Award Winner Heather Green was honoured for improving resources for children and young adults in a disadvantaged area of Manchester. Heather devotes her spare time to rehabilitating and steering youngsters away from [...]

Hilary Craft 2005 Community Award Winner Hilary Craft was awarded the Community accolade for her invaluable contribution to fundraising for leukemia research, a woman who selflessly fundraised to buy vital equipment for cancer research though it [...]

Patsy McKie 2004 Community Award Winner The winner is Patsy McKie of Hulme, Manchester.  In 1999 Patsy's 20 year old son was shot through gang violence.  Rather than dwell on revenge, Patsy set up Mothers Against [...]