It was a day of success and recognition for six Liverpool city region businesswomen at the 10th Anniversary Enterprise Vision Awards. Tony McDonough reports

Six Liverpool city region businesswomen scooped awards, or were highly commended, at the 10th Anniversary Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAS).

Now in their 10th year, the EVAs celebrate female entrepreneurship across the North West. Of the 22 city region women shortlisted this year, five were category winners while a sixth was highly commended.

Dr Natalie Kenny, founder of fast-growing COVID testing firm BioGrad Group, won the Business Woman category. Earlier this month LBN reported that Dr Kenny was considering a multi-million pound sale of the business she launched in 2014.

The judges were impressed with the phenomenal growth of her business, her ability to attract elite scientists from across the world and for being an inspirational role model for women in STEM.

Elissa Corrigan of Elle Sera won the New Business award, Rebecca McCann of Pro Blo triumphed in the Retail Business category, Customer Services award went to Victoria Corcoran of Pets Country Manor and Debbie Rogers of Sean’s Place, the Charity accolade. 

Debbie founded Sean’s Place after losing her brother to suicide in 2019. It provides men with free mental health and wellbeing sessions. Andrea Pankiw of the Phoenix Foundation was highly commended in the same category.

More than 650 guests turned out to celebrate the EVAs ceremony which took place in the Empress Ballroom at Blackpool Winter Gardens where 19 awards were presented. It was hosted by Channel 4’s extreme cake maker, Rosie Dummer. The full list of winners:

• Retail Business Rebecca McCann – ProBlo (Heswall)
• Business Woman Dr Natalie Kenny, BioGrad Group (Liverpool)
• Charity Debbie Rogers – Sean’s Place (Liverpool)
• Customer Services Victoria Corcoran – Pets Country Manor (Liverpool)
• New Business Elissa Corrigan – Elle Sera (Liverpool)
• Beauty Business Bella Kowalska – The Nail Bus (Poulton Le Fylde)
• Family Business Ruth Poar – Eat My Logo (Chorley)
• Creative Industry Leona Marsh – Marsh Mill Interiors (Preston)
• Solo Business Vinny Scarantino – Chase the Sun (Preston)
• Hospitality Breda Murphy – Breda Murphy Restaurant (Whalley)
• Employee Charlotte Hargan – Lakeland Inns Group (Ulverston)
• Professional Services Angela Horn – THW Estate Agents (Kendal)
• Young Entrepreneur Emma Lea Dalton – My Kind of Clean (Kirkby-in-Furness)
• Inspirational Woman Rachel Holliday – TCC West Cumbria (Whitehaven)
• Health & Wellbeing Caroline Heaton – Strawberry Rose Farm (Wigan)
• Internet Industry Sara Jones – Centre of Excellence (Manchester)
• Small Business Delight Mapasure – K’s Wors (Manchester)
• Training & Coaching Olive Strachan – O.S. Resources (Urmston)
• Outstanding Achievement Maggie Oliver – The Maggie Oliver Foundation (Altrincham)

Highly Commended

• Charity, Andrea Pankiw – Phoenix Foundation (Liverpool)
• Business Woman, Gemma Walker – Helispeed (Blackpool)