Fantastic five fly the flag for Fylde in women's business awards

Five businesswomen are thrilled to have put the Fylde Coast on the map after scooping top prize at an awards ceremony at the Winter Gardens.

Wendy Jackson, of Fylde Tuition Centre, Beverley Davis of The Ivory Dressing Room, Amanda Munden of Moo Stylist, Elizabeth Manford of The Wax House Candle Company and Jane Hugo, of Streetlife are now proud owners of a coveted 2018 Enterprise Vision Award (EVA).

The five winners fought off intense competition from successful entrepreneurs across the North West to scoop the Training and Coaching, Customer Services, Solo Business, Retail Industry and Outstanding Achievement categories respectively.

Coral Horn, organiser of the awards and founder of Blackpool-based networking group, Pink Link Ladies, said: “What a fitting end to another fantastic awards ceremony.

Enterprise Vision Awards Outstanding Achievement winner Jane Hugo from Streetlife with sponsor Heather Waters of Natwest Bank

“We were delighted to see the awards back in its rightful home of the Empress Ballroom. It is a truly, magical setting for what is probably the largest awards ceremony dedicated to female entrepreneurs outside London.

"The EVA’s are a spectacular event full of glamour and glitz - we definitely have more sequins on the night than Strictly. Our eighth year was simply superb, we had thousands of entrants and I’d say that this year was perhaps the most fiercely contested yet.”

This year, the EVA’s Charity of the Year was the Pankhurst Trust, a small charity in Manchester which plays a huge role in history.

This was the home of Emmeline Pankhurst and birthplace of the Suffragette Movement. This year commemorates the centenary anniversary of women winning the right to vote.

Richard Lefton, from Lefton’s Group, who sponsored the Professional Services category, said: “It felt particularly fitting that we raise money for this charity; without these brave and determined women, the role of women in business may have been very different today.”

The crowd raised £2,600 on the night for the Pankhurst Trust which will enable them to open more rooms to the public. More than 550 guests turned out in force to celebrate another EVAs ceremony which took place in the Empress Ballroom at Blackpool Winter Gardens where 16 awards were presented.