Law firm Hill Dickinson is the new headline sponsor of the Merseyside Women of the Year Awards which will be held in Liverpool in July. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool law firm Hill Dickinson has been unveiled as the new headline sponsor for the Merseyside Women of the Year Awards (MWOTY) 2022.

Nominations for this year’s awards are now open. The awards ceremony for MWOTY 2022 will return to the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Liverpool waterfront on Friday July 1. The live event has been suspended for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They are renowned for shining a spotlight on those women who do not seek the limelight or push themselves to the front, but instead work to make a difference to the people, sectors and communities they serve.

Since founding director and inaugural ‘Woman of the Year’, Ellie Kerr, took over the organisation in 2010, the awards have grown in popularity. Ellie said: “We have waited a long time to come back together and this year’s awards are set to be the most eagerly-anticipated and spectacular yet.

“Over the past two years we have seen some truly incredible women doing amazing work to support their communities, keep businesses afloat and people employed through unprecedented times of difficulty – these awards will be when we honour them.

“It will also be an opportunity to celebrate our own missed milestones, such as our 10th anniversary, which passed in 2020. We are absolutely overjoyed and proud to welcome Hill Dickinson as our headline sponsor for this very special year.”

Based in St Paul”s Square in Liverpool, Hill Dickinson employs more than 850 people including 185 partners and legal directors. It also has offices in Manchester, London, Leeds, Piraeus near Athens, Singapore, Monaco and Hong Kong.

READ MORE: Hill Dickinson launches solicitor apprenticeships

Partner Kerstie Skeaping added: “The Merseyside Women of the Year Awards celebrate the tremendous achievements and positive difference that women make in business and their local communities.

“As a leading law firm employing 850 people, we are committed to being an inclusive employer that women – and men – want to work for, and our recent Returners Campaign is very closely aligned with the sentiment of these awards – that women in business can help achieve greatness.”

Nominations are now open with a range of categories including Arts & Culture, Business Leader, Community Change, Entrepreneur, Inspirational, Social Impact, Women’s Group, Business Start-Up, Women Making a Difference, Rising Star and Young Female Apprentice.

The overall Merseyside Woman of the Year 2022 will be selected from all finalists, following a public vote (contributing 50% of the overall score) and being marked by the organisation’s judging panel against its criteria, which can be viewed here, contributing the remaining 50% of the final score.

Category sponsors so far for 2022 include Community Foundation for Merseyside, Courage & Sparkle, Everton FC and Financial Planning Corporation, with opportunities to sponsor categories still available.

The final deadline for nominations is Sunday, April 24. You can nominate online or via email. If you find it difficult to nominate in this way due to disability or other reason, contact nominations@merseysidewomenoftheyear.co.uk or call 07966 308 405.

To nominate and for more information, click here.