Businesswomen honoured at Inspiring Women Awards gala

Inspirational women were honoured at the 24th Inspiring Women Awards last week. The event, which took place on Friday 13th May, celebrates women who have made a difference in the Greater Manchester area.

This year’s awards were held at the Midland Hotel in the city centre, with the winners being announced at a gala lunch.

Inspirational

The awards consisted of five categories, which celebrated inspirational women from a number of different sectors. Businesswomen, policewomen and a young writer were amongst those who were honoured.

Jane Hynes won the Entrepreneur Award for her business Kiddyum, which provides frozen meals for children, whilst Atiha Chaudry, chair of the Manchester BME Network, the Greater Manchester BME Network project and the Manchester Equalities Hub, picked up the Community Award.

Other categories included the Business Award, which went to Marnie Millard, and the Inspiring Young Women Award, which was won by writer and blogger Jenny Mullinder.

Greater Manchester Police Officers Det Insp Myra Ball, Estelle Mathieson and Jennifer Burd were honoured with the Public Sector Front Line Award.

Success

The Inspiring Women Awards were founded in 1992, with the first awards event taking place the following year. The event was originally going to run for just one year only, but has been held every year since its launch due to its success.

Run by entrepreneur Jacqueline Hughes-Lundy, the event was launched to raise money for charity Tommy’s Campaign and has since gone on to raise thousands of pounds for other local charities.

The awards were formally known as the North West Woman of Achievement Awards but became the Inspiring Women Awards in 2006.