Three new categories – including a Lifetime Achievement Award – have been added to the Enterprising Women Awards for 2022 as the East Midlands Chamber-run network celebrates its 25th anniversary.
A Diversity Champion and Rising Star award are also on the bill for the annual showpiece, which takes place on 30 September at a venue to be announced in the coming months.
The awards were launched today (Tuesday 8 March) at an International Women’s Day celebration event at Casa Hotel, in Chesterfield.
Natalie Bamford, the managing director of Derby-based Colleague Box who was crowned Business Woman of the Year at the 2021 awards, was the guest speaker.
Enterprising Women’s roots go back to 1997 and the awards have been held in their current guise across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire since 2013. Jean Mountain and Eileen Richards MBE continue to lead the network as co-chairs.
Jean, who was named Businesswoman of the Year at the Nottinghamshire Live Women in Business Awards for her contributions to helping other professional women “break the glass ceiling”, said: “We’re so excited about ramping up the celebrations for our 25th year as a network and to top it off, we wanted to create an extra-special edition of our Enterprising Women Awards.
“Adding three new categories offers a great opportunity to recognise even more successful people who are fantastic ambassadors of enterprising women.”
Eileen, who was East Midlands Chamber’s president in 2021, added: “Last year’s awards were an incredible occasion as we were able to return to celebrations in person but the 2022 edition promises to be the biggest and best we’ve ever had.
“We’re looking forward to another extremely high calibre of applications to reflect the huge pool of female talent we have in this brilliant region.”
Entries are now open and the deadline is 29 April. To enter, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/ewawards.
Enterprising Women Awards 2022 categories
Business Woman of the Year (sponsored by Futures Housing Group)
Female Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Midlands Engine Investment Fund)
Social Commitment Award (sponsored by She Inspires)
Small Business of the Year (sponsored by Unique Window Systems)
Female Employee of the Year (sponsored by Smallman & Son)
Team of the Year (sponsored by PPL PRS)
Business Woman in STEM (sponsored by Pick Everard)
Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by EMA Training)
Diversity Champion (sponsored by Breedon Consulting)
Rising Star (sponsored by The Turnaround CEO)
Lifetime Achievement (sponsored by Paradigm Wills)
