Record-Breaking Awards Night
Women Leaders UK Celebrates Record-Breaking 2024 Awards at Stadium MK
The 2024 Women Leaders’ UK Awards, hosted by Women Leaders, took place on June 18th at Stadium MK, marking a significant milestone in its nine-year history with reports of the highest number of entries to date.
A glittering success, the awards brought together people from across the city and beyond, with nearly 400 attendees gathered in the Ballroom at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Stadium MK to celebrate the achievements of remarkable women across 14 categories.
Hosted by Dr Julie Mills OBE and Ruby Parmar, Chair and Vice Chair of Women Leaders respectively, the awards also paid tribute to Elizabeth Sheldon for her contributions to the development and growth of Women Leaders along with her pioneering efforts in creating the city’s first STEM festival and her tireless work to get more women into STEM.
Among other notable recipients was Sharon Bridglalsingh, a finalist in the Uniformed and Public Services Award category, who earned a place on the Women’s Leadership Programme run by Cranfield Executive Development.
The Outstanding Contribution Award was presented to Ayser Al-Jawad, a finalist in the Engineering, Science, and Maths Award, recognising her significant impact in the community.
Inspiring Discussions and Panels
Guests were inspired not only by the stories of the finalists and winners but also by the prominent speakers who joined the presenters on stage.
The event featured a panel discussion enabled by the headline sponsors, NHBC, focusing on attracting more women to the construction industry. Hosted by Women Leaders’ trustee, Sarah Thorne, the panel included NHBC’s Sara Cartin and Wendy Carr, along with Jenny Herdman from The Home Building Federation, who discussed the importance of apprenticeships and creating a visual representation to mentor the next generation of women leaders.
Gamiel Yafai, Founder and CEO of Diversity Marketplace and sponsor of the Women Leaders Allyship Programme, emphasised the need for a more inclusive workplace: “It has been an honour to be asked to design the Allyship training programme and a privilege to be a Trustee of Women Leaders UK. To be part of a voluntary team that raises visibility and gives voice to women through mentorship, allyship, events, and putting on celebration awards is a privilege.
What a wonderful evening working as a team to showcase the incredible work that women are doing to create a better society for all. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. I was especially pleased by the diversity of talent who had the opportunity to showcase their outstanding contributions to Milton Keynes and be and be recognised for it.”
Testimonials
The hosts referenced the fact that the audience included the largest number of guests under the age of 25 in its history, a testament to the power of recognising women leaders and inspiring a new generation as one young guest, Miah Wilson, an Apprentice Machinist at Oracle Red Bull Racing, expressed: “As a young woman just starting in the working world, I am thrilled to be working with Oracle Red Bull Racing who are sponsoring the Emerging Leader award. This event both excites and inspires me for my future”
The 2024 Women’s Leaders’ Awards was not just a celebration of individual achievements, but a testament to the collective effort to create more inclusive and supportive environments for women. The event underscored the importance of fostering community, mentorship and allyship to inspire and elevate women across all sectors.
