NatWest EWiF Awards 2021
2021 Award Ceremony
The 2021 awards took place on the evening of Thursday 11th March 2021. Attendees gathered from across the country and the franchise industry, to celebrate the successes of the award finalists and winners.
And the 2021 EWiF Award winners are…
.
New Woman Franchisor of the Year 2021, sponsored by Daisy First Aid
Deborah Salsbury
The Reading Doctor
At the start of the pandemic, The Reading Doctor franchise had only just begun, with 4 franchisees. The franchise helps struggling readers to overcome their barriers to learning. As the lockdown closed schools, franchisor, Deborah Salsbury, adapted to reach out to disadvantaged young people, being impacted. The lengths she went, to help young people in their greatest time of need, is truly an achievement in itself. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Deborah and The Reading Doctor.
Woman Franchisor of the Year 2021, sponsored by Hitachi Capital Franchise Finance
Lucy Campbell
Right at Home UK
This is the second year Lucy Campbell, Right at Home’s Chief Operating Officer, has taken home this title; showing how inspirational and ambitious she is! 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, especially those in the care sector. Lucy navigated her network of 60+ franchisees, in a practical and pragmatic manner, and Right at Home achieved its most successful year. Congratulations, Lucy!
New Woman Franchisee of the Year 2021, sponsored by NatWest
Gemma Green
it’seeze
Having only opened her franchise in February 2020, Gemma Green has achieved staggering success, and made her franchise fee back within 4 months. During lockdown, she used the time to her advantage, and increased social media engagement, rising to the top of the sales leader board. She also had more 5-Star Trustpilot reviews than any other franchisee in 2020. Congratulations, Gemma!
Woman Franchisee of the Year 2021, sponsored by Darwin Gray and our Highly Commended Overall Woman in Franchising.
Victoria Rowley
Puddle Ducks
Victoria is Puddle Ducks youngest franchisee, and leads the way with her hard work, outside the box thinking and support to other franchisees. In August 2020, she expanded her business, when she bought a neighbouring franchise, and merged the two areas together. She managed to keep customer numbers, and all her teachers in work, despite operating from less than half of her pools. Go Victoria!
Women Franchise Employee of the Year 2021, sponsored by Boddy Matthews
Elaine Hamilton
Caremark
Elaine Hamilton is Field Care Supervisor at Caremark Sutton. In spite of the global pandemic, the key to her success is her authentic and passionate leadership style. Throughout 2020 Elaine selflessly helped care workers deliver excellent care in the community, and personally contacted their most isolated and vulnerable clients during lockdown. Elaine you are a great credit to the Caremark team. Congratulations!
Young Woman in Franchising of the Year 2021, sponsored by McDonald’s
Hannah Drury
Caremark
Hannah is no stranger to the EWiF Awards, having walked away with Young Woman in Franchising 2018 and 2019; this year makes it an award hat-trick! Her dedication to her network, staff and community continue to impress the judges. From supporting her staff with a smooth transition into remote working, to collaborating with the Police on their initiative ‘The Herbert Protocol’ to protect the vulnerable, Hannah takes everything in her stride. Congratulations, Hannah!
Service Provider of the Year 2021, sponsored by FranScape
Kate Matthews
Boddy Matthews
As an integral part of the EWiF Community, Kate’s senior role in the legal profession lends itself to encouraging and assisting women, across franchising. In 2020, she supported businesses most affected by COVID 19, even providing pro bona support for a variety of legal complications arising from the pandemic and lockdown. You inspire us, Kate!
Inspirational Woman of the Year 2021, sponsored by Platinum Wave
Claire O’Connor
babyballet
Claire O’Connor is definitely an Inspirational Woman in Franchising. She pivoted her business online, creating additional content and resources whilst adapting all her systems, marketing, reporting and infrastructure to reflect a new way of working. She also onboarded five new franchisees, and sold a master licence in New Zealand – how about that for pandemic inspiration!
EWiF Ambassador of the Year 2021, sponsored by What Franchise
Kate Matthews
Boddy Matthews
Kate has been the EWiF South Regional Chair for many years now, and is helping to drive the growth and development of EWiF. She arranged countless regional meetings, engaged with Ambassador’s up and down the country and her firm, Boddy Matthews Solicitors, also sponsors one of the EWiF Award categories. A very worthy Ambassador of the Year; thank you, Kate!
Award for Innovative Leadership, sponsored by Coconut Creatives
Anna Neville
Kidslingo
This award was voted for by the franchise community, and Anna Neville of Kidslingo proved to stand out as she led her network, through the changing landscape of teaching online. She worked tirelessly to migrate all their classes online and supporting franchisees who had extra students join their language classes. What an inspiration you are, Anna!
The Overall Woman in Franchising award, sponsored by the bfa, is Claire O’Connor from babyballet!
Pip Wilkins, CEO of the bfa, presented Claire with her award stating:
“The resilience, courage and determination shown by Claire during Covid19 was one that stood out for me as an exemplary example of franchising.
Many businesses at the start of Covid were at a cross-roads of whether to remain as they were and wait it out, or to pivot. This business absolutely pivoted, adapting the model, creating new systems, reports and a new infrastructure. Our winner’s commitment to her brand saw the business thrive with growth in franchisees not just here in the UK but abroad with a new Master Franchisee appointed.
Her ethos of transparency, coupled with honest communication and a belief that ‘Together, We Are Stronger’ has pulled her, her network of over 100 franchisees globally, and most importantly the children they teach, through a very tough year!”
With thanks to our 2021 Award Sponsors
