Organisers of the Merseyside Women of the Year Awards reveal 36-strong shortlist for this year’s event following a record number of nominations

Members of the public can now vote for the overall Woman of the Year as the shortlist for the 2026 Merseyside Women of the Year Awards (MWOTY) are revealed.

All this year’s finalists have been recognised for their work driving change and improving lives in Merseyside and beyond.

This is through business leadership, contribution to professional services, voluntary and community work, charitable organisations, and entrepreneurial and creative endeavours.

Category winners and the overall Merseyside Woman of the Year 2026 will be revealed at the annual celebration of exceptional women, which will take place at the Crowne Plaza in Liverpool city centre on Friday, June 26.

Finalists, who hail from across the boroughs of the Liverpool city region, are:

• Amanda Martins – MICT Ltd (Liverpool)
• Anu Omideyi – National Gospel Music Centre (Liverpool)
• Caroline Munnelly – Birkdale Insurance Group (North East Wales)
• Chantelle Joseph – Regal Entertainments Ltd (St Helens)
• Debs Paterson – Pilates by Physio (Wirral)
• Dr Cristina-Steliana Mihailovici – Liverpool John Moores University (Liverpool)
• Dr Deborah Faint – Brownlow Health (Liverpool)
• Dr Karen Groves MBE – Queenscourt Hospice (Sefton)
• Farida Laeeq – Brownlow Health (Liverpool)
• Faye Boswell – Sensified Spaces (Liverpool)
• Gail Rickett – The Water Whisperer (Sefton)
• Georgia Davidson – SGD Fire Protection Ltd (Knowsley)
• Gillian Watkins – An Hour For Others (Liverpool)
• Hayley McCaughran – Butterflies Rising (Liverpool)
• Hayley Smith – Northwest HIV Support CIC (Halton)
• Jennifer Gallagher – Primas Law (Liverpool)
• Jess Hampson – CEL Solicitors (Liverpool)
• Jodi Whitehouse – Caring Matters Now (Liverpool)
• Jordan Duggan – EFT Group (Sefton)
• Jude McMaster – Pearl’s Project (Liverpool)
• Julie Griffiths – Caring Connections (Knowsley)
• Karen Blair – Aftermath Support (Wirral)
• Kate Silcock – Flourish Tutoring (Wirral)
• Leanne Lucas – Let’s Be Blunt CIC (Sefton)
• Lindsey Kidd – HM3 Legal (Liverpool)
• Liverpool Feds WFC (Liverpool)
• Lucy Byrne – dot-art (Liverpool)
• Michelle O’Dwyer – Bay Tree Cookery Academy CIC (Liverpool)
• Natalie Dickson – Hall Brown Family Law (Liverpool)
• Rachael Parry-Jones – Emporia Marketing & Public Sector Media (Liverpool)RASA Merseyside (Liverpool)
• Rebecca Lennox – North West Ambulance Service (Liverpool)
• Renatta Clerice-Ologbosere – Ever Present Care (Liverpool)
• Sharon Munroe – Equilibrium Northwest CIC (Wirral)
• Suzanne Daley – Bell Lamb & Joynson (Liverpool)
• Tomorrow’s Women (Wirral)

MWOTY will this year be hosted by award-winning broadcaster and actress, Leanne Campbell, with luncheon and entertainment and a silent auction and raffle to raise money for the MWOTY Legacy Fund and the Women’s Fund.

Founding Director, Ellie Kerr, said: “The response to this year’s awards was overwhelming, with a record number of fantastic nominations and a bumper shortlist of 36 finalists.

“They are women from all walks of life, all at different stages in their careers and personal journeys. They are diverse business and community leaders, thinkers, doers, creators, volunteers, but all are using their time and skills to make life better for people in our city region and beyond.

“Each one of them is worthy of the spotlight that MWOTY is shining on them and we continue to provide a platform for these unsung heroines to be seen, heard and found – we can’t wait to celebrate them on the MWOTY stage and welcome them into our movement.”

Marion Reilly, senior director – wealth planning from headline sponsor Rathbones, added: “I’m always inspired by the calibre of MWOTY finalists, and this year is no exception. We’ve seen an incredible number of outstanding nominations, making it one of the toughest shortlists yet.

“I’m incredibly proud that Rathbones are headline sponsors and can’t wait to celebrate everyone’s achievements at the event in June.”

The overall Merseyside Woman of the Year 2026 is selected from all finalists, following a public vote (contributing 50% of the overall score) and marked by the organisation’s judging panel against its criteria, contributing the remaining 50% of the final score.

The public vote is open until midnight on Monday, June 1.

The top prize will be presented by Rathbones. Category sponsors for 2026 include FPC, Merseyrail, Community Foundation for Merseyside, Brownlow Health, City of Liverpool College, Rise Construction Framework, Robertsons, Auteur Media, McIver Scott Recruitment and Morecrofts.

Click here to cast your vote and to book tickets or for more information click here.