RED MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF RED’S HOT WOMEN AWARDS 2012

RED MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF

RED’S HOT WOMEN AWARDS 2012

in association with euphoria Calvin Klein

 

LIVIA FIRTH CHAMPIONS ETHICAL FASHION & LIVING

 

STARS OF LONDON 2012 NICOLA ADAMS, ZOE SMITH AND CLARE BALDING AWARDED FOR THEIR OLYMPIC CONTRIBUTIONS

 

DIGITAL ENTREPRENEUR KATHRYN PARSONS LEADS THE WAY FOR WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY WITH TWO AWARDS

 

 

Red magazine is delighted to announce the winners of its annual Red’s Hot Women Awards 2012, in association with euphoria Calvin Klein. The awards, now in their fourth year, celebrate British women in the workplace.

 

This year’s awards see an impressive range of inspiring working women being recognised. Livia Firth, Creative Director of eco-age.com and co-founder of The Green Carpet Challenge, is presented the ‘Eco’ award for using her profile to give ethical fashion a celebrity platform.

 

The prestigious Fashion’ award goes to Caren Downie, ASOS Buying Director, for her remarkable vision for the ASOS brand. Fashionistas Erin O’Connor, Debra Bourne and Caryn Franklin are recognised in the ‘Pioneer’ category for their campaigning work with All Walks Beyond the Catwalk.

 

Flying the flag for London 2012 are Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams, Boxer, who is awarded ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ and Zoe Smith, Weightlifter, who is acknowledged in the Woman to Watch’ category for sport. Clare Balding wins the ‘Media’ category for captivating the nation with her BBC Olympics coverage.

 

Kathryn Parsons, co-founder of Decoded, is the first winner to receive two awards in the Digital’ and Start-Up’ categories for her visionary digital business aimed at demystifying the world of computer coding.

 

In addition, Martha Payne, a 10-year-old blogger, is awarded ‘Woman to Watch: Blogger’ for Never Seconds, the blog she set up to report on her school dinners, and which has so far raised over £120,000 to provide school meals in Africa.

 

The awards ceremony also recognises impressive female talent in the restaurant scene, with Monica Galetti, Chef at La Gavroche, winning the Rose Gray Food Pioneer Award and Florence Knight, Head Chef at Polpetto, being awarded ‘Woman to Watch: Food’

 

The Community / Charity’ award this year goes to Doreen Lawrence for the inspiring legacy she has created in memory of her son Stephen Lawrence. Christie Watson comes top in the Creative’ category for her award-winning second novel Tiny Sunbirds Far Away and Helen McGinn, author of the Knackered Mothers’ Wine Club blog, is awarded best ‘Blogger’. Further accolades for truly impressive women include geneticist Dr Pia Ostergaard, the ‘Power Part-Timer’ who has made ground breaking discoveries to identify life saving gene mutations – and done it while working flexible hours. Shabana Mahmood, Higher Education Shadow Minister, is also recognised in the ‘Woman to Watch: Politics’ category for being one of the first Muslim Asian women in Parliament.

 

The categories were judged by some of the most inspirational professional women in Britain including; Red magazine Editor-in-Chief Sam Baker, Public Relations Director for Coty Prestige UK Kirsty Dale, Vice-Chair for West Ham Utd FC Karren Brady, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, CEO / Chairman of Shine Group Elisabeth Murdoch, Sky News Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, bestselling author India Knight, founder of Timewise Jobs Karen Mattison MBE and Chief Merchant for Harrods Marigay McKee.

 

The winners were announced at a champagne reception hosted by Lauren Laverne at One Marylebone.

 

Sam Baker, Red Magazine Editor-in-Chief, said:‘‘We are thrilled to be celebrating the achievements of some this country’s most inspiring working women. This year’s Red’s Hot Women Awards, in association with euphoria Calvin Klein, have recognised some truly amazing women and I congratulate everyone on their success.’

 

 

Why have they won?

 

Blogger

Helen McGinn, 39, Knackered Mothers’ Wine Club – What started on a whim has now become a popular blog and a book deal – proof that a love of a glass or two of wine is never a bad thing.

 

Community / Charity

Doreen Lawrence, 60, Founder, Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust – For challenging the British legal system and inspiring a nation with her vision of a community-based legacy for her son.

 

Creative

Christie Watson, 35, Author & Resuscitation Nurse – For winning one of the most coveted and respected awards for new writers, whilst also holding down a day job in nursing.

 

Digital / Start-Up

Kathryn Parsons, 31, Co-Founder, Decoded – For championing the agenda of women in technology, specifically encouraging women to be code-literate, in a way that is manageable and practical.

 

Eco

Livia Firth, 42, Creative Director of eco-age.com – For using her profile to give ethical fashion a platform and proving it’s a good business to go green.

 

Fashion

Caren Downie, 51, Buying Director ASOS – At a time when the retail sector is struggling, Caren’s vision has resulted in triple-figure sales growth.

 

Media

Clare Balding, 41, TV presenter and Olympic anchor – For her widely praised TV anchoring of the BBC’s London 2012 coverage and making her mark as a female sports broadcaster in a field that remains stubbornly male-dominated.

 

Media (Posthumous)

Marie Colvin, 56, award-winning journalist – Killed in Syria whilst reporting from the frontline, the judges created a special award this year to honour Marie’s groundbreaking journalism.

 

Pioneers

Debra Bourne, Erin O’Connor & Caryn Franklin, 48, 34 and 53, Founders of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk – For using their collective experience in the fashion world to campaign for a more diverse representation of women.

 

Power Part-Timer

Dr Pia Ostergaard, 42, Geneticist – After taking a career change, Pia has made groundbreaking discoveries to identify gene mutations, which will help save lives. And she’s done it whilst working part-time hours.

 

Rose Gray Food Pioneer

Monica Galetti, 36, Senior Sous Chef at Le Gavoche – For her unflinching resolve to make it to the top and to be treated as an equal in a male-dominated industry.

 

Sportswomen of the Year

Nicola Adam, 29, Boxer – For winning her way into the history books as the first ever female gold-winning Olympic boxer. Next stop Rio.

 

Woman to Watch: Food

Florence Knight, 26, Head Chef of Polpetto – For climbing the ranks in a male-dominated industry to run the kitchen of one of London’s leading restaurants, at only 26.

 

Women to Watch: Sport

Zoe Smith, 18, Weightlifter – For setting a new British record in the women’s 58kg at London 2012 and overcoming Twitter critics with her brave blog posts.

 

Woman to Watch: Politics

Shabana Mahmood, 31, Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood – As one of the first Muslim Asian women in Parliament, Shabana is an inspiring force for more diversity amongst our MPs.

 

Woman to Watch: Blogger

Martha Payne, 10, Blogger – For inspiring hundreds of children in Britain to create their own blogs, scrutinising everything from fashion to their school sports days, and for raising over £120,000 for charity

Enter The Natwest Everywomen Awards.

ONE MONTH TO GO TO ENTER NATWEST EVERYWOMAN AWARDS.

2012 MARKS A DECADE OF CELEBRATING THE UK’S LEADING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS

If you are a female entrepreneur then enter into the Natwest Everyomwn Awards. During the ten years since inception the NatWest everywoman Awards have attracted thousands of entries and celebrated Britain’s leading female entrepreneurs. This inspiring programme has commended both household names such as Karren Brady, Hilary Devey, Dame Mary Perkins, Chrissie Rucker and Cath Kidston, along with a multitude of extraordinary women whose businesses both large and small support Britain’s reputation as one of the best countries for enterprise.

In this, their 10th year the NatWest everywoman Awards are reaching out to women in enterprise across the country to put themselves forward. Supported by government and big business alike, the awards acknowledge the drive and tenacity required for successful enterprise, symbolising UK’s best business success and inspiring and motivating the next generation of female entrepreneurs.

The NatWest everywoman Awards are free to enter and nominations can be made by business owners or those connected to them by 20 July 2012. The core award categories are:

Artemis is Goddess of the Hunt and Protector of Youth. This award is given to the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged 25 or under.

Demeter is Goddess of the Harvest. The Demeter Award will go to the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged between 26 and 35.

Athena is Goddess of Wisdom. This award is given to the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged between 36 and 49.

Hera is Queen of Goddesses and her wisdom and ability to inspire provide the basis for this award. This award is given to the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged 50 or over.

Other award categories include:

Iris is Messenger of the Gods, and is awarded to the most inspirational and successful female entrepreneur who runs a technology business that makes a difference, provides real solutions in the world today and, ultimately, is instrumental in building a smarter planet.

Hestia represents the hearth and home and is presented to a female entrepreneur who runs a rural business contributing to the local economy.

Gaia represents the earth and is presented to a female entrepreneur whose business has a clearly defined social and/or ethical purpose.

Karen Gill MBE, Co-founder and Director of everywoman says, “SMEs make up over 99% of the total number of businesses in the UK* so in terms of our economic health it is vital that we support and acknowledge their contribution to Britain plc. If we do not take steps to champion female enterprise so that future generations see it as a viable career choice, we will risk irreparable damage to our already fragile economy.

“Over ten years the NatWest everywoman Awards have done just that, recognising scores of women who have achieved business success through hard work, determination and passion and who are role models for future generations of female entrepreneurs.”

*Federation of Small Business, November 2011

Anne Mcpherson, Managing Director, Diversity in Business, NatWest says, “We are delighted to support the NatWest everywoman awards for the 10th year running. Over the years the awards have been a great encouragement to women entrepreneurs. At NatWest we have certainly seen an upturn in women owned businesses in the past few years and we are committed to encouraging more female entrepreneurship. Our 200 Women in Business ambassadors across the country share and understand our customers’ ambitions and provide the coaching and mentoring that helps them fulfill their potential and build successful businesses”.

Nominations are made online at www.everywoman.com/ewawards until 20 July and will be judged by a panel of accomplished businesswomen and entrepreneurs.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony held on 5 December 2012 at The Dorchester in London attended by celebrities, VIPs and major figures from the worlds of business and politics. ­