Three remarkable businesswomen from Tyne & Wear were honored at the prestigious Enterprise Vision Awards (The EVAS) held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on September 27. As the UK’s largest awards celebrating female entrepreneurs, the event drew attendees from across the nation and a global audience, including viewers from India, the USA, and New Zealand.
The atmosphere was vibrant as small businesses, social enterprises, and global brands united to celebrate female entrepreneurship. Attendees engaged in valuable networking, sharing ideas and forging new partnerships, all while heartfelt acceptance speeches filled the night with emotion and inspiration.
The EVAS which is now in its 13th year proceeds in recognizing successful businesswomen instrumental in initiating change and innovation. This year, over 150 pioneering women from various industries were recognized for their creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Blaydon-On-Tyne’s Juliet Sanders, founder of Feeding Families, took home the coveted Inspirational Woman of the Year Award. Turning her personal struggles into a mission to help others, Juliet’s charity has provided over a million food items to more than 46,000 households, with demand increasing by an astounding 101% in the past year. “Being nominated for the EVAS was a surprise, becoming a finalist was beyond my expectations, and winning… I am truly honored among so many incredible women,” she said. “These awards are reflections of the success sagas of businesswomen, and how we have achieved great things by supporting each other.”
Sisters Jenny McFadden and Alex Malley from Newcastle, last year’s winners in the Retail Business category, returned to claim the Family Business Award. They founded Pretty Mama in 2020, a revolutionary breastfeeding brand dedicated to supporting nursing mothers with accessible and stylish clothing.
Katrina Hutchinson O’Neill of Join Talent was awarded Business Woman of the Year. In her moving speech, she celebrated her fellow finalists and highlighted the ongoing funding disparities faced by female entrepreneurs, noting a troubling decrease in investment over the past decade. Katrina is transforming the recruitment industry with her agile talent acquisition model, serving some of the world’s most dynamic companies.
Christine Nichols of Atlantic Pacific Global received the Outstanding Achievement Award from NatWest. Recently honored with the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, Christine is recognized for her commitment to gender equality, leading a company with a 50% female board and championing women in her field.
NatWest Regional Enterprise Manager, Heather Waters stated enthusiastically saying “It is a matter of great pride to sponsor The EVAS for 11 years. This evening was truly inspirational, celebrating the success of ambitious, tenacious women entrepreneurs. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists—your dedication and hard work deserve this recognition.”
