Publisher’s trophy triumph alongside Licensing Awards nomination
This year’s Woman Who Achieves Awards was very special for greeting card publisher and artist Meg Hawkins, who also designs giftware and homeware.
Along with Louise Welsby, her friend of 30 years and the new chair of The Giftware Association’s National Committee, the pair both won awards in their respective categories so they could celebrate their achievements together.
As the force behind Meg Hawkins Art, designing and producing cards along with high-quality home and giftware featuring her own artwork, Meg collected the trophy in the Woman Who Achieves In Business Growth category having seen her company go from strength to strength in the past 12 months.
The incredible growth was recognised by the team of judges who said Meg’s was a business that has come on leaps and bounds: “With a beautiful array of creative designs that are finding markets across the world, a licensing-led model allowing great scalability and future growth.”
Meg, whose Widdop And Co range also just been nominated as a finalist in the Best Licensed Giftware, Home Decor, Tableware Or Housewares Range in the Licensing Awards, commented: “What a week, exhilarating exhausting, and exciting! I am truly thankful to the judges for allowing me the time to reflect on what we, as a family business, have achieved in the past few years. I feel so honoured to have won this award in what was such an impressive category of inspirational businesswomen.”
And Buy-From Creative Agency managing director Louise scooped the Marketing category at her first attempt, saying: “I feel both humbled and honoured to have won the Woman Who Achieves In Marketing Award. To be surrounded by so many truly inspirational women – and men – was incredible. To be recognised as a category winner, among so many incredible businesswomen, is amazing.”
The judges said Louise had not only built a marketing agency, but built a community around something she’s passionate about.
They added: “Working with SMEs and makers she has developed an approach to support, teach and nurture creative businesses to fly. Her passion to do good and support and develop her team shines through in everything she does and every aspect of her business.”
Woman Who Achieves Awards founder Sandra Garlick MBE said: “Each year I ask myself how I can surpass the previous year’s awards. This is the seventh year I’ve run them, and the calibre and number of entries increases each year.
“I love to create role models to inspire others. The room was filled with finalists, entrants and those who came along to support them. The winners became role models. Everyone left inspired. Congratulations to everyone who entered.”
The Awards encourage women to recognise their achievements, celebrate their successes and inspire others by becoming role models, and the winners were revealed on 1 July, with over 300 attendees enjoying an afternoon of inspiration, celebration, and networking in the marquee at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry.
Top: Delighted Woman Who Achieves winners Meg Hawkins (left) and Louise Welsby
