EVAs finalists announced

The finalists for a prestigious and popular North West women in business awards have been announced.

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 Lancashire seeing 50 go through.

The finalists are:

• Keeley Edgeley, of Tiny Rockers Ltd, Chorley – Young Entrepreneur
• Sharon Farley, of Mason, of Glamsticks, Chorley – Solo Business
• Gabriella Bavone, of Artisan Bazaar, Lancaster – Solo Business
• Lisa Marie Nelson, of LeChic Aesthetics & Beauty Ltd, Chorley – Beauty Business
• Nicole Griffin, of Nicole Griffin Hair Designs, Chorley – Beauty Business
• Rebecca Stott, of Temple Beauty Clinic, Preston – Beauty Business
• Susan Cranswick, of Angela DCS Ltd, Chorley – Customer Services
• Chantel Morgan, of The Park Hair Room, Chorley – Inspirational Woman
• Joanna Smith, of Simple Bows and Chair Covers, Chorley – Small Business
• Lisa Brady, of Perfect Recruitment, Chorley – Professional Services
• Sarah Hunter, of Chorley Pilates, Chorley – Health & Wellbeing
• Johanna McCormick, of Kenworthy Chiropractic, Preston – Health & Wellbeing
• Emma Woan, of Education Business Partnership (NW) Ltd, Accrington – Business Woman
• Dawn Vickers, of Dance Syndrome, Accrington – Business Woman
• Catherine Davies, of The Bijoux Magpie, Blackburn – Internet Industry
• Amelia Barton, of Hire the Catwalk, Burnley – Retail Business
• Diane Price, of My Indigo World, Blackburn – Inspirational Woman
• Melinda Kiss, of Keyhole Interiors Ltd, Blackpool – Young Entrepreneur
• Megan Blore, of Archie Therapy Ltd, Blackpool – Young Entrepreneur
• Jane Hunt, of Catapult PR, Blackpool – Solo Business
• Amanda Munden, of Moo Stylist, Blackpool – Solo Business
• Emma McDonald, of Design & Online Promotions Ltd, Blackpool – Solo Business
• Phoebe James, of Phoebe Freelance Graphic Design, Lytham St. Annes – Solo Business
• Leanne Marie Docherty, of LM Training & Consultancy, Blackpool – Training & Coaching
• Wendy Jackson, of Fylde Tuition Centre, Blackpool – Training & Coaching
• Tracey Mansbridge, of Blackpool Transport Services, Blackpool – Training & Coaching
• Susan Frain and Katherine Atha, of Top Class Tuition (UK), Blackpool – New Business
• Melissa Toland, of Time For You, Blackpool – New Business
• Charlotte Beaumont, of Dandelion Childcare Services Ltd, Lytham – New Business
• Rosie Winstanley, of RAW Beauty Salon, Blackpool – Beauty Business
• Chrissy Thomas Griffin, of The Lingerie Lounge, Blackpool – Retail Business
• Elizabeth Manford, of The Wax Candle House Café, Blackpool – New Business and Retail Business
• Katherine Platt, of Mary, Tom & Friends, Blackpool – Retail Business
• Zarana Khajuria, of Kusuz Silver Jewellery, Blackpool – Retail Business
• Seema Dalvi, of Dalvi’s Fine Indian Cuisine, Blackpool – Hospitality Industry
• Laura Arrowsmith, of Nom Nom, Lytham St. Annes – Hospitality Industry
• Beverly Davis, of The Ivory Dressing Room, Blackpool – Customer Services
• Kila Redfearn, of Blue Skies Hospital Fund, Blackpool – Customer Services
• Deborah Wilkinson, of No 4 The Salon & The Fat Cat Club, Lytham St. Annes – Customer Services
• Caroline Richardson, of Imperial Hotel Blackpool – Customer Services
• Faye Atherton, of Blackpool Carers Centre – Inspirational Woman
• Jane Hugo, of Streetlife, Blackpool – Inspirational Woman
• Jacqueline Rawcliffe, of PNG Digital, Blackpool – Small Business
• Julie Maughan, of Woodhouse Opticians, Blackpool – Small Business
• Jeneane Warhurst, of 4 Cheeky Monkeys, Blackpool – Small Business
• Clare Taylor, of Duxburys Commercial, Blackpool – Professional Services
• Helen Turner, of Isagenix, Blackpool – Health and Wellbeing
• Louise Wood, of Mortgages by Louise Wood, Blackpool – Professional Services
• Susan Tracey, of Lighthouse Wellbeing, Blackpool – Health and Wellbeing
• Helen Gillespie, of Betsy & Els, Blackpool – Creative Industry

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 to once again 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 on the EVAs website from Monday, August 20^th. When the judges’ scores are either tied or within a margin of two percent, the public votes are then added to decide the winner.