Sew close as Paula vies for top award
AN INSPIRATIONAL West Lancashire woman is among the finalists for a prestigious and popular North West Women in Business award.
A special panel endured weeks of deliberation before making crucial decisions to complete the finalist shortlists for the Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs).
The awards received a record amount of entries, soaring into the hundreds and competition across the 16 categories is extremely tough.
More than 100 businesses from across the North West have reached the finals, with West Lancs seeing one go through.
The finalist is Paula Gamester, of The Sewing Room, Skelmersdale, who has been nominated in the Inspirational Woman category.
Each finalist will now present and face a panel of judges before the winners will be announced on Friday, September 28, at an awards ceremony held at Blackpool Winter Gardens.
Launched back in 2011, the EVAs provide women across the North West with the opportunity to be recognised for their achievements in business.
Coral Horn, founder of networking group Pink Link Ladies and organiser of the awards, said: This is the exciting stage of the awards, but it certainly isn’t easy.
“I really look forward to this stage each year; ladies have a real chance to express themselves after working hard on their original entry.
“It’s key to have a judging stage, I think it gives ladies the chance to really talk about their business in detail, sometimes, entry forms just don’t allow that.
“This year is certainly our strongest yet, we’ve been inundated with nominations and it wasn’t easy to create shortlists for the judges.
“It’s a major achievement to reach this stage in itself.”
The awards are once again to be sponsored by NatWest and Heather Waters, territory enterprise manager at the firm, added: “This is now the sixth year that NatWest has been the headline sponsor of the Enterprise Vision Awards and we’re proud to support an event that celebrates not only enterprise, but successful and powerful women in industry, too. The awards are growing each year, entries are stronger than ever and the standard is extremely high.
“Businesses of all sizes have made the finals and the judging process is certainly a stage to look forward to.”
The EVAs judging process is a mix of public nomination with a stringent round of judging and an interview with a panel of highly regarded business professionals.
Public votes can be cast at www.enterprisevisionawards.co.uk, from Monday, August 20.
When the judges’ scores are either tied or within a margin of 2%, the public votes are then added to decide the winner.