Finalists for the region’s leading female business awards are announced

Sixty-eight outstanding women from Lancashire have been announced as finalists in the 2022 Enterprise Vision Awards.

This year’s EVAS finalists are women who have shown exceptional talent and who deserve recognition for their impressive work. From founders of global empires to micro businesses and  social enterprises much needed by communities.

A diverse range of local businesses are represented including a packaging manufacturer and precision engineer, a plant based lifestyle app, natural soap makers, haulage & transport services, clothing retailers, home care services and so much more.

These women are disruptors, innovators and creators and nurturers who are motivating and inspiring the next generation to chase their entrepreneurial dream and achieve success. 

Coral Horn, founder of Pink Link and the EVAS said “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.

"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.”

Previous EVA winner and sponsor of the #EVAS2022 Charity of the Year Award, Jane Cole MD of Blackpool Transport, said “Blackpool Transport are honoured to be sponsors of the EVA’s in 2022. 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 9th 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 to hair tool they never knew they needed!"

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

More than 700 guests are expected to attend a glittering awards ceremony on Friday 23 September at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool where the winners will be announced. For more information, please contact Coral Horn at www.enterprisevisionawards.co.uk.

Best Business sponsored by Chorley Council

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 sponsored by BioGrad

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 sponsored by Blackpool Transport

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 sponsored by Airship Interactive

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 sponsored by United Utilities

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 sponsored by Stanmore Insurance Brokers

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 Business sponsored by LHR Recruitment and RetentionAlison Schmid – Redmoor Health Charlotte Knowles - Elektec Donna Townson - Fredericks Ice Cream Emily & Laura Leyland – Fresh Perspective Laura Sieczkowski & Philippa Mantle – Mantle Packaging Liz Beavis & Ruth Power - FMB Lucy Dodd and Holly Francis - HIP Roofing

Health & Wellbeing

Abigail Ankers & 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 & Bay Louise Kemp - Nineteen Agency Seema Dalvi - Dalvi's

Internet Industry sponsored by Centre of Excellence

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 sponsored by Pink Link

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 sponsored by Blackpool Unlimited

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 sponsored by Costco

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 & Louise Myers -CG Professional

Retail Business

Amanda Parkinson & 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 sponsored by Crowberry Consulting

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 & Coaching sponsored by Risk Support Services

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 & Blade Academy Vanessa Brown - VL Aesthetics