40 Years of Celebrating Extraordinary Women

For four decades, the Cheshire Woman of the Year Awards have been shining a light on the extraordinary achievements of ordinary women across the county.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of an event that has become a cornerstone of Cheshire’s community calendar, and we caught up with chair Alison Blackler on Phil In The Morning to find out what makes it so special.

Alison, who has been involved with the awards for 15 years, describes the atmosphere at the ceremony as something truly remarkable.

“Everyone’s so different and the connections, the conversations, when everyone’s sitting around the tables, people are laughing, crying,” she told us. “It is quite remarkable and that’s why I’ve been involved for 15 years.”

Three Categories, One Celebration

The awards recognise women across three categories: personal courage, community, and outstanding professional achievements. What Alison loves most is how those categories often overlap.

You might find a woman who has faced enormous personal tragedy and then channelled that experience into making a real difference in her community or building something extraordinary in business.

“We are really homing in on a lot of those things,” Alison explained. “There are women who come who are volunteers, who have raised hundreds of pounds for a charity because they’ve had something happen to them. I think that’s what we love – the inclusivity of it.”

A Unique Nomination Process

One thing that sets the Cheshire Woman Awards apart is that you can’t self-nominate.

Someone else puts your name forward, and most nominees arrive at the ceremony without knowing who nominated them.

They’re invited to a celebratory lunch where every woman in the room has done something wonderful, and each one receives a certificate of recognition.

While one overall winner is chosen each year, Alison is clear that everyone who makes it into that room is a winner.

“We’re shining a light on the unsung heroes,” she said. “A lot of women are like, ‘Why am I here?’ And it’s because somebody thinks you’re incredible.”

Remembering Baroness Helen Newlove

When asked if one nominee stands out across the awards’ history, Alison didn’t hesitate.

Baroness Helen Newlove, who won the award in 2009 following the tragedy involving her husband, went on to become a tireless advocate and was a great friend to Cheshire Woman, returning as a guest speaker on several occasions.

Sadly, she is no longer with us, and Alison confirmed she will be acknowledged during this year’s ceremony.

40 Years of History – and a Social Campaign to Match

To mark the 40th anniversary during Women’s History Month, the team are planning a social media campaign to revisit some of the nominees and winners from years gone by.

With records stretching back to the very beginning, they’ll be putting some of those names and stories back into the spotlight – a fitting tribute to four decades of celebrating Cheshire’s women.

Supporting the NSPCC

The awards also have a strong charitable connection.

Originally set up in 1985 by Cheshire Life and Dr. Barnardo’s, the event has been partnered with the NSPCC for many years now.

The entire event is run by volunteers, supported by local business sponsorship, and any money left over – along with proceeds from the raffle – goes straight to the NSPCC.

What Happens Next?

Nomination letters are going out this week to the women who’ve been selected.

Once they accept, the team collects headshots and creates bios for the event programme. The ceremony itself takes place over a celebratory lunch at Chester Racecourse in June.

As Alison put it, she wants Cheshire Woman to be “a conduit between businesses, charities, and people” – and after 40 years, it’s clear that’s exactly what it is.

We’ll be catching up with Alison again as the ceremony approaches. Watch this space.