Since its inception in 2003, the Merseyside Women of the Year (MWOTY) Awards have celebrated inspirational women in business and across all sectors of society. Ellie Kerr, the founding director of MWOTY, was the inaugural overall winner of these prestigious awards. She was recognized for her efforts in sustaining the Women in Business (WIB) network after Business Link, a former government-funded agency, withdrew its funding.
Ellie’s award not only honored her work but also influenced Business Link’s approach to women’s entrepreneurship. She was appointed Women’s Enterprise Champion and later became the Northwest Diversity & Inclusion Team Leader. Since then, Ellie has received four additional awards for her contributions to business and her ongoing dedication to fostering women’s entrepreneurship through the MWOTY awards.
Ellie remarked, “Our ceremony is unique, and we are proud of the heart and emotion in our awards because that’s where our strength comes from. Not everyone views the MWOTY awards as a celebration of women in business, but we’ve been celebrating and elevating women business leaders in every sector and level for almost 20 years now, and this year’s finalists are no exception.”
Since taking over the awards in 2010, Ellie has seen many inspirational business leaders recognized for their achievements. For instance, Kate Kingston, who won the MWOTY Newcomer award in 2004, was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012 for her interior design business, Kingston Shaw. Today, her business continues to thrive, and she has also retrained as a mental health practitioner, launching Quantum Energy Coaching to help clients overcome trauma, stress, and self-limiting beliefs.
“Winning both MWOTY awards helped me establish my business in the North West and gave me instant credibility within the business community,” said Kate. “It allowed me to network with like-minded individuals and access clients who would not have known about me had I not won and received the publicity. However, the most important aspect of winning for me was the inspiration that the other women continue to give me every year. To see and be with female entrepreneurs year after year reminds me of how integrated we are becoming and how far we have traveled.”
Another success story from MWOTY alumni is Rise Construction Framework, established by Sara Lawton, Merseyside Woman of the Year 2014, two years after her win for her community work.
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