Nominations are now officially open for the Women of the Year Luncheon and Awards 2026, inviting women across the UK to put themselves forward – or nominate an exceptional colleague, leader or peer – for one of the country’s most established and respected accolades celebrating female achievement.

Now in its 44th year, WOTY continues to shine a spotlight on inspirational women making a significant impact in business, public life and their communities. Nominations can be submitted via the official website: www.womenoftheyear.org.uk, until the closing date 30 June 2026. Women may nominate themselves or be nominated by others, with entries welcomed from all sectors and regions of the UK.

There are two open award categories for 2026: Woman of Edge Award 2026, sponsored by leading national law firm Freeths, and Businesswoman of the Year Award 2026.

Following the closing date, a shortlist of around 20 finalists will be selected by a team of WOTY ambassadors. Finalists will be invited to attend a face-to-face interview with a judging panel in September, to determine the final two award winners.

The prestigious Women of the Year Luncheon and Awards ceremony celebrating shortlisted entrants and announcing the winners will take place on Friday 9 October 2026 at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, supported once again by headline sponsor Aldermore Bank.

The awards will be presented by WOTY President, actor and producer Sally Lindsay, who will lead the celebrations on the day, which includes a welcome drinks reception, exclusive shopping experience, and a three-course luncheon menu designed by acclaimed chefs Anna Stanford and Delia-Maria Asser.

The Women of the Year Awards continue to attract nominations from leading business women across the UK. Last year’s winners were Rachel Corp – CEO, ITN (Businesswoman of the Year), Neev Spencer – award-winning broadcaster and host of Magic Radio show (Freeths Woman with Edge award), and the Emmeline Pankhurst Award for Woman of Achievement was awarded to the Women of the Post Office.

Zalena Vandrewala, WOTY’s Chair comments on the 2026 awards launch:

“Women of the Year exists to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women who are leading, innovating and driving change. We know there are countless women delivering extraordinary impact in organisations and communities across the UK – and we encourage them not to wait to be recognised, but to step forward.

“For HR leaders and senior leadership teams, this is also an opportunity to publicly champion the female talent within your organisation. Nominating a colleague can be a powerful way to recognise leadership, resilience and success, while reinforcing your commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

In addition to nominations, businesses are encouraged to attend the luncheon, host clients and teams, or explore sponsorship opportunities. Table bookings and sponsorship packages are now available via the Women of the Year website.

For organisations committed to supporting women in leadership, sponsoring or attending the event offers a high-profile platform to demonstrate that commitment, network with senior decision-makers, and celebrate excellence at a nationally recognised event.

Nominations are open from 5 March 2026 to 30 June 2026, to begin a nomination click here.

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A supporter of WOTY for several years, in October 2025, Sue received a Special Commendation as a finalist for the WOTY Businesswoman of the Year Award, a testament to her remarkable achievements in her business and private life. 

Sue was an extraordinary woman whose dedication, leadership, and spirit left an indelible mark on everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. 

Beyond her professional accomplishments, she will be remembered for her warmth, kindness, and ability to uplift others. She was a mentor and role model, whose memory will continue to inspire future generations of women in business. 

Sue always used the phrase ‘There’s always more room at the table’ – her legacy will always be at the WOTY table. 

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A senior leader in transformation and communications, who champions women at all levels, Lou brings with her over 35 years’ experience across multiple sectors, including 25 years at the BBC, Lou has led some of the UK’s most ambitious change programmes. Her roles included Head of Internal Communications, Head of Change at BBC Technology, and Co-leader of the BBC Culture Change Programme.

Formally Managing Director of Women in Change and taking the organisation global, she is now a female founder of three businesses. Over the past 12 months, she has gone on to build her own brand, Voice4Impact, as a digital content creator and influencer and brings with her significant opportunities for sponsorship of the prestigious awards.

Zalena Vandrewala, Chair of WOTY comments “Lou has a fantastic track record of working with large organisations, especially in the women’s space. We are absolutely delighted to have her on the team, creating opportunities for new key strategic alliances, and supporting the longer term plans for continuous learning for women of all ages.

Robey states “As a female founder of three businesses and a champion for women in business, I’m delighted to continue this work into 2026 by coming on board to support the strategic growth of The Women of the Year Awards, celebrating women who are not only leading today but shaping what’s possible for tomorrow.”

The appointment is made in advance of the WOTY 2026 launch on 5th March 2026.

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Helen became involved in the Women of the Year Awards after winning the Woman of Achievement Award in 2015 for her tireless work following the murder of her husband by drunken youths in 2007 outside of her home. She campaigned government to reduce the binge drinking culture and raised awareness of the need to improve victim support, becoming the Victims Commissioner for the first time in 2012. In 2021, she became the Deputy Speaker in the House of Lords.

Helen sat on the Women of the Year Board for several years and later was invited to become a Patron to reflect her continued dedication to our organisation. We will remember Helen not only for her professional achievements but also for her kindness and commitment to our shared values.

Helen referred to herself as an “ordinary woman” – to us she was extraordinary and will be very sadly missed.

Our thoughts are with Helen’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.

Board of Directors
Sally Lindsay, President

Family and Lords release:

The Victims Commissioner and passionate community campaigner, Baroness Newlove of Warrington, has died after a short illness. She was 63-years-old.

Helen Newlove came to prominence in 2007 after her husband, Garry Newlove, was kicked and punched to death by a gang of youths vandalising the family car parked outside their Warrington home.

Mr Newlove had spent months before the attack trying to stop the group terrorising the neighbourhood. Three teenagers were jailed for life in 2008 for his murder.

Baroness Newlove’s moving speech after their convictions, in which she publicly pleaded with parents to take responsibility for their children, marked a watershed moment in how the country should tackle youth violence and anti-social behaviour.

Determined to improve the experience of victims of crime, the shy Cheshire housewife and mother embarked on more than two decades of tireless campaigning. 

In 2010, David Cameron appointed her as the Government’s Champion for Active, Safer Communities where she worked with communities up and down the country to make their neighbourhoods safer.

She was awarded a peerage in that year’s dissolution honours list. In 2013 she became Victim’s Commissioner for England and Wales, a position she held until 2019. She agreed to take on the position again in 2023 until the end of this year when her successor, Claire Waxman, is due to take over the role.

A passionate campaigner, she combined a rare tenacity with a notoriously warm, approachable, manner to significant effect. During her time as Victims Commissioner, Baroness Newlove laid the groundwork to enshrine victims’ rights in law and led important reviews on anti-social behaviour, the Victim’s Code and reforms to the Parole system.

She is survived by her second husband and her and Garry’s three children.

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We were equally moved by the Women of the Post Office, whose story of resilience and stunning performance of “Hear Our Voice” took our breath away and reminded everyone why these awards exist – to amplify voices that deserve to be heard.

Working with Strategi Creative to curate the opening video allowed us to capture not just what happened on stage, but how it felt in the room. Their thoughtful storytelling and creative eye brought the emotion, energy and significance of the day to life on screen, creating a visual opening that truly reflected the spirit of Women of the Year.

It was a privilege to celebrate women in business and beyond in such a powerful way – and we’re so proud of everyone who made the opening moment unforgettable.

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A heartfelt thank you goes out to all our guests, presenters, and finalists who made the day so meaningful. We are also deeply grateful to our headline sponsor, Aldermore Bank, along with all our other key sponsors, whose continued generous support made the event possible.

A special shout-out goes to Rosie Eliza for beautifully capturing the day again for a second year. We hope you enjoy the highlight video below, showcasing the best moments from this incredible celebration.

Here’s to another amazing year, we can’t wait to do it all again in 2026!

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A day dedicated to celebrating inspirational women, over 400 people gathered to listen to the stories of and celebrate the three extraordinary and worthy winners.

Over 300 nominations and 14 applicants were shortlisted into three categories; ‘Business Woman of the Year’, ‘Freeths Woman with Edge’, and the prestigious ‘Emmeline Pankhurst Award: Woman of Achievement’ sponsored by Male Allies UK.

Rachel Corp, Chief Executive Officer of ITN was the deserving recipient of the Business Woman of the Year award, overseeing one of the largest independent production companies in the UK, currently creating 50+ hours of TV a week plus 7bn+ views of digital content annually. Judges commended her journey in the broadcasting industry and her dedication not only to ITN but her involvement with Women in Journalism, Women for Women International, and the RSA BAFTA. Special commendation was given to Sue Wright from Harrogate Group.

Whilst Neev Spencer, an award-winning Broadcaster and presenter of Magic Radio’s weekday afternoon show took home the ‘Freeths Woman with Edge’ award. Neev not only impressed the judges with her accomplishments in the TV & Radio industry, but her passion for supporting women to strive for success and being an ambassador for The British Asian Trust and other charities close to her heart. Special commendation was given to Leisa Nichols- Drew from De Montfort University.

The Women of the Post Office were honoured with the Emmeline Pankhurst ‘Woman of Achievement’ award, recognising their courage and fight against one of the worst injustices in British history with the Horizon Scandal. Not a dry eye in the house as the “Hear My Voice” Choir made up of people affected by the scandal sang on stage during the luncheon.

Writer, and actress Sally Lindsay, who is the President of the awards, gave a speech to welcome guests and celebrated the event being in Manchester, the ‘creative capital of the UK’.

Headline Sponsor, Aldermore Bank and Key Sponsors, LSH Auto, Freeths, Strategi Solutions Group, Pertemps and Category Sponsor Male Allies UK, were all present to celebrate with the winners.

Zalena Vandrewala, Chair of the Women of the Year Awards, said: “Celebrating this year’s Women of the Year winners is a moment of immense pride for us all. Each recipient embodies extraordinary courage, leadership and talent, and it’s been a joy to witness the remarkable achievements here today.

We remain committed to shining a spotlight on women whose stories inspire, transform and propel positive change across our country. To the well-deserved winners, nominees, supporters and guests, thank you for being part of this movement; you are the heart of Women of the Year Awards”.

On her win of ‘Business Woman of the Year’, Rachel commented: “I am deeply honoured to be recognised as Business Woman of the Year, in the company of a truly inspiring group of finalists having impact across their communities.  

It is particularly special in the year that ITN turns 70 and as we transition from our television news heritage into a multi-media content powerhouse for the years ahead.  Thank you to WOTY for all you do to support women at all stages of their careers and I look forward to working with you in the months ahead”.

Lisa Hannah, Chief People and Communications Officer at Aldermore said: “At Aldermore we’re proud to be headline sponsors of the Women of the Year Awards. We celebrate women whose leadership, innovation and community impact drive positive change – spotlighting extraordinary achievements, supporting career pathways and amplifying role models who inspire the next generation.

This sits at the heart of our purpose: accelerating opportunity and helping create a more inclusive, thriving future. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners”.

The Women of the Year Awards aims to recognise and celebrate women’s achievements across all sectors in the UK.

Past winners of the awards also include Baroness Karren Brady, the late Dame Julie Kenny CBE, Jenny Campbell, Baroness Karren Brady, Katie Piper, Women of the NHS and Women of the RAF.

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There, these remarkable women were honoured with the Emmeline Pankhurst Woman of Achievement Award – a tribute to their extraordinary bravery, resilience, and determination in the face of injustice.

Their courage and fight for justice continue to inspire us all to stand up, speak out, and never give up. At Women of the Year, we’re so proud to celebrate women whose strength changes lives – and today’s BBC feature is a powerful reminder of exactly why their stories matter.

Footage courtesy of BBC iPlayer. Originally broadcast on BBC Morning Live on Monday, 13th October 2025. View the segment here…

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Over 300 extremely high calibre nominations were received from women across the UK from various industries and backgrounds. Following the initial judging processes, the organisers took the decision to once again increase the number of finalists to 14 from 10 in previous years.  The awards are set to take place in Manchester after last year’s successful move to the City in their 43^rd year history.

The awards boast award-winning bank, Aldermore as headline sponsor for the third consecutive year.

The awards have a long-standing reputation for recognising and highlighting women’s achievements from across the UK.  Past business winners include Baroness Karren Brady, Dame Julie Kenny CBE, Dr Sharon Redrobe OBE, Fiona Allen and Jenny Campbell.

The 2025 finalists include women from several areas of business and industries, including media, education, healthcare, hospitality, engineering, construction and manufacturing.

The full list of finalists can be found https://www.womenoftheyear.org.uk/finalists/

Judges from several of the event’s core sponsors including headline sponsor Aldermore Bank, Freeths LLP, LSH Auto, Pertemps PLC and Strategi Solutions, as well as previous alumni met with the finalists for the final judging sessions. Following the face-to-face interviews, the judges have deliberated on their final decisions on who will take the prestigious accolades home next month.

On the afternoon of Friday 10^th October the winners of two categories will be announced – Businesswoman of the Year and Freeths’ Woman with Edge. In addition, the winner of the Emmeline Pankhurst Award – Woman of Achievement is also set to be revealed.  

Members of the WOTY board, including President, Writer and Actress Sally Lindsay, WOTY Patrons Jenny Campbell and Arti Halai, WOTY Directors Zalena Vandrewala, and Wendy Dean along with over 400 guests, will be in attendance at the prestigious luncheon and awards, taking place at the Etihad Stadium.

Zalena Vandrewala, managing associate at national law firm, Freeths LLP, who is chair of the board of Women of the Year Awards said: “We were thrilled by the sheer number of nominations we received this year.  The energy and ambition from the finalists during the judging day on Friday was hugely inspirational and uplifting.   The awards recognise outstanding women that are pivotal to our society, and we look forward to hosting them and many more at our much-anticipated ceremony in October, which we are delighted to be hosting in Manchester again for the second time”

WOTY is a proud supporter of The King’s Trust last year donating £15,000 to the charity. Throughout its 43-year history it has donated just under £600,000 to various charitable organisations.

To find out more about the WOTY Awards or to book one of the last remaining tables please visit www.womenoftheyear.org.uk.

About Women of the Year

The Women of the Year Luncheon & Awards was established in Nottingham in 1982 as a ladies’ luncheon to raise monies for a charity called The Winged Fellowship Trust.

Over 40 years on, we continue to support our chosen charities each year. In recent times we have been proud to support charities including Revitalise, Marie Curie and The Kings Trust: Women Supporting Women.

Over the years, the event has grown from being a regional ladies’ luncheon to a national award ceremony with a key focus on business. The event now plays host to around 400 guests and recognises the achievements of women in business and women that have strived to achieve the unthinkable in the most challenging of circumstances across

For more information please contact Michaela Tabinor, michaela@strategisolutions.co.uk

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Now in its 43^rd year, the WOTY Awards are renowned for celebrating outstanding female role models who provide inspiration across all areas of society and the business community. The awards showcase women’s talent and achievements to a national audience.

Two categories are available for nominations this year: Business Woman of the Year and Freeths Woman with Edge and the event will also see the return of one of the most esteemed awards, The Emmeline Pankhurst Award which launched last year.

In the lead up to the awards luncheaon on 10^th October at Manchester City Football Club, WOTY will host a series of networking opportunities across the UK, giving working women across various sectors the chance to connect, come together and share stories and ideas.

WOTY Chair and Freeths’ Managing Associate Zalena Vandrewala and Director Wendy Dean have now joined President, Writer and Actress Sally Lindsay; WOTY Patrons Founder of Miss Money Savvy Emma Elston MBE, Dragon’s Den’s Jenny Campbell, Broadcaster Arti Halai and Victims Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove in encouraging people to nominate women which have gone above and beyond in their field.

Lisa Gilligan (pictured), Managing Partner of Freeths Leicester, said: “Freeths has been a proud sponsor of WOTY now for 15 years and, over that time we’ve seen the organisation, and the event go from strength to strength. The ambassadors past and present have been such a great representative of so many fields. These awards, and the lunch, are an important representation of the progress women have made, and they inspire us all as well as showcasing some impressive role models. I can honestly say, taking part in the judging process is one of the highlights of my year. I encourage everyone to nominate those women who inspire them!”

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