Outstanding achievements were again recognised at the Daily Post Women of the Year awards, as Emma Pinch reports
A SUCCESSFUL business leader with a conscience has been crowned this year’s Daily Post Merseyside Woman of the Year.
Maura O’Donnell, director of Vitaflo, scooped 2,187 votes from the public.
Judges heard how dietitian Maura had invested her own money into the Knowsley-based company to help it become one of the fastest-developing companies on Merseyside.
The Liverpool Daily Post Special Award was presented to Marie McCourt for 15 years of tireless work for SAMM – Support After Murder and Manslaughter.
Other winners included Anna Heyes for Newcomer, Carol Maher in Entertainment, Carol Barnes for Community Matters and Sue Poole, for Community Matters Abroad.
The Igbo Women’s Association of Liverpool won Women’s Group, and had the room clapping as they sashayed up to collect their trophy in time to Destiny’s Child’s Independent Women.
“This is wonderful. This is absolutely gorgeous,” said their spokeswoman delightedly, accepting their award for their work supporting women married to Igbo men.
More than 250 inspiring women attended the seventh Merseyside Woman of the Year awards, which celebrate female achievement in arenas such as business, charity and entertainment.
Held at Liverpool’s Crowne Plaza, the event was compered by Dirty Dusting star Clare Bowle and attracted local personalities such as artist Anthony Brown, actresses Margi Clarke and Pauline Daniels, Pete Price and Mick Ord, managing editor of Radio Merseyside, who pronounced it “the best awards ceremony I’ve ever been to.”
Judges were extremely impressed with the calibre of entrants.
“The field was extremely strong this year,” said judge Jean Gadsby. “The quality just gets higher and higher and it’s getting harder to be nominated as a finalist. We were looking not just for women who were successful in their paid work but who put in something extra, something women have put effort into in their own time.” The winner was nominated by photographer Stephanie DeLang, who herself was highly commended in last year’s awards, after she took her child to Vitaflo for treatment and left deeply impressed by Maura’s personal commitment to help patients.
