At Pour Moi we believe that all women deserve to be celebrated. The Uplifting Women Awards recognises the amazing achievements of women as well as celebrating their fabulousness. So, meet our 2023 winners below!.
An inspiring individual that is passionate about driving positive social change and supporting charitable causes within her community and beyond. This champion is an outstanding individual who helps to motivate and engage others in fundraising and awareness raising activity.
Winner
Lorraine Lewis
Lorraine is the co-founder of the Lewis Foundation. Founded with her husband 7 years ago, the foundation sets out to provide care to adult cancer patients in many ways, but one way is through providing individuals with a gift. A care package that might contain toiletries, puzzles, or a craft set, with the purpose to pass time or provide comfort. Lorraine and her team currently provide over 2,500 of these care packages month to 14 hospitals in the midlands.
https://www.thelewisfoundation.co.uk/
Finalists
Ceri Winfield
Having worked in the disability sector for over 10 years, Ceri saw the lack of support for parents of disabled children. Ceri set-up Disable the Label CIC to support the disabled community and their families and worked endlessly to make sure they have access to support groups, equipment and basic information.
https://disablethelabel.co.uk/
Akua Opong
Driven by the need for diversity and inclusion, Akua is passionate about raising the profile of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) so began mentoring young girls and women through multiple charities and has spoken with over 10,000 school children in the last year. Akua continues to raise funds and IT equipment for colleges and universities and donating her time to food banks and homeless charities – plus so much more.
Mariam Sajjad
During the 2020 lockdown, Mariam began the charity ‘Food with Love’ providing good quality, nutritional and low-cost meals for the vulnerable, she now provides more than 500 meals a day, 7 days a week with a group of volunteers and donations from major supermarkets.
https://www.foodwithlove.co.uk/
Tash Alexander
Tash is the founder and director of Head Held High, a charity initiative who run motivational programmes for young people at risk of school exclusion or knife crimes. With a background in comedy writing and being a motivational coach, Tash put her expertise and passion into driving societal change. Working with other chairities like Mind and The Ben Kinsella Trust, to run behaviour-changing programmes such as ‘The Best of You’ to help young people to ultimately transform their lives for the better.
https://headheldhigh.org.uk/
Our Extraordinary Entrepreneur award celebrates the woman behind her business. She is nothing short of remarkable after establishing a business, overcoming risks, and enjoying the rewards that come with running your own business.
As an entrepreneur, their drive and determination to start their own business is inspirational and has made a real impact in their industry.
Winner
Victoria Jenkins
With her background as a garment technologist, Victoria founded Unhidden, an adaptive clothing brand that not only caters for those with a physical disability but is also socially responsible. The made to order adaptive brand is the first of its kind to joining the British Fashion Council. Victoria has won multiple awards and regularly speaks on panels to promote equality in fashion. In April 2023 Unhidden was featured in British Vogue!
https://unhiddenclothing.com/
Finalists
Flavilla Fongang
Referred to as a ‘serial entrepreneur’ Flavilla has been named among the top 5 most influential women in tech in the UK, due to her branding and neuromarketing agency, 3 Colours Rule. Flavilla also published a book that features the stories of black women in tech, with a goal of making black women in tech feeling like they have a seat at the table. Hosting a podcast ‘Tech Brains Talk’ and a chosen brand advisor for the BBC she is truly a powerhouse and inspiration.
https://3coloursrule.com/
Kate Taylor
Kate is on a mission to educate, support and help women with breast asymmetry. Millions of women have uneven boobs (sisters not twins) and Kate saw the gap in the market and created the company Evenly that offers the non-surgical solution many women might be looking for. A patented innovation that Kate carefully designed that allows women to embrace their unique bodies and gain confidence and comfort.
https://www.evenlybreasts.com/
Vera Singh Davi
From reading her application, we’ve seen how hard Vera has worked her adult life, but most recently, putting all her experience into opening her own brand Beauty and the Feast. An instagrammable party venue and tea rooms, that was born out of Veras true love of food (having worked as a chef) and beauty, Vera has built a beautiful venue that attracts visitors from overseas to attend pamper parties, makeup masterclasses all while enjoying wholesome and delicious food.
https://www.instagram.com/beauty.and.the.feast.london/
Rebekah Hall
Rebekah has transformed the wellness space, whilst spearheading some of the sector’s most innovative products. Beginning in 2017, she launched a functional CBD drinks company, Botanic Lab, she then began the consumer wellness group Southwest Brands. Rebekah is a driving force behind groundbreaking and transformative products and is on her way to being B-Corp certified.
https://www.instagram.com/botaniclab/?hl=en
This award recognises the woman who has made a significant contribution in her profession. Whether she is a businesswoman, artist, designer, sportswomen or activist, she has made a success in her career and blazed her own trail.
Through her own achievements, she has inspired and mentored other women to follow suit. She shifts the dial, helping to build an environment where others can flourish, realise their own potential and accomplish their own goals.
Winner
Jane Kenyon
With a passion for inspiring and empowering young girls, Jane founded the non-profit ‘Girls Out Loud’ Working with schools across the north-east with their mentoring scheme and having personally coached 100+ young girls and 200+ female entrepreneurs she continues to support local communities to change lives. Jane has also fundraised over one million pounds to run the organization so she can reach many more women and girls.
https://girlsoutloud.org.uk/
Finalists
Vinette Campbell
Vinette or otherwise known as coach Blu. Founded Steppers, a women of colours, over 40’s walking football team founded on the ideas of keeping fitness fun and diverse and promoting physical and mental health issues within the community after the effects of COVID-19, Vinette was inspired to start her own local team with a just few members, the group has grown and they recently flew to Cyprus to take part in their first overseas tournament.
https://www.instagram.com/steppers_woc_wfc/?hl=en
Claudia Woodford
Claudia set up her own wellness and self-love coaching business to help support new mums with the aim to help them reconnect and nurture themselves, whilst celebrating the power of being a woman (and mum!) Delivering guest sessions, one on one appointments as well as working as a clinical researched for the NHS, Claudia loves to support women.
https://www.claudiasabinawellness.com/
Sophie Davis
Sophie is the founder of Outdoor Adventure Girls – set up in 2021 Sophie set up the group as a way of building confidence and creating a support group for women who may need it. Creating a safe and inclusive environment for women to connect with other women and get some fresh air! The group now runs over 200 meetups across the country, whether it’s a day walk across Snowdonia or the South Downs or even a 9-day adventure in Bali!
https://outdooradventuregirls.com/
Claire Macpherson
Claire was nominated for the creation of her online community ‘She Impacts the World’. With a sole purpose of helping women realise their potential and create their own incredible businesses, Claire has helped thousands of women over the past 13 years, by coaching one-on-one and building confidence within each individual.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sheimpactstheworld/
The Young Rising Star award recognises the woman who is making a significant impact in their career. Making a valuable contribution and showing a willingness to learn, the young rising star always goes the extra mile, demonstrating exceptional ambition and paving the way for her own success .
Winner
Danielle Gilbert
Danielle has lived with alopecia for most of her life but has used this to really challenge the beauty standards we see online and has now taken Instagram and TikTok by storm. Gaining popularity with the makeup tips and tutorials she was creating; Dani was then able to start raising awareness and spreading her confidence to others. This allowed Dani to launch her own range of Brow transfers and most recently DMuse, a wig company.
https://www.instagram.com/danigmakeup/?hl=en
Finalists
Georgia Douvall
At 16 Georgia co-founded the skincare and wellness brand Douvall’s. An award-winning brand with a focus of argan oil and its benefits. Douvall’s works with women’s co-operatives in Morrocco to make sure the ladies that harvest the argan oil are provided with fair wage, good working conditions, childcare and education. From a young age it is inspiring to learn how Georgia worked in all areas of the business making it the success it is today.
https://www.douvalls.com/
Onyinye Udokporo
Onyinye is an author, entrepreneur, educator, public speaker, and pioneer of social mobility with a passion for education. Having been able to ‘climb the ladder’ of education she was eager to give others an opportunity, so she created an online education platform and tuition centre. Having completed a postgraduate degree, conducted research papers, writing her first book and guest speaking at the City of London’s Lord Mayor’s Election Ceremony, Onyinye continues to advocate for everyone and anyone no matter their colour or circumstance.
https://www.onyinyeudokporo.com/
Eloise Ofori
Elosie's passion is for women’s empowerment and philanthropy. Having won the crown of Miss Ghana in 2014, Eloise used the platform to lead a girls education campaign in Ghana. Resulting in improved policies for girls in the country. This led to her being selected as the United Kingdom's representative delegate to the One Young World Summit, where she used the global platform to push for better innovative ways to improve gender equality amongst women. Eloise now runs Anima Youth, a charitable organisation who runs one of London’s largest mentoring programmes ‘BigSis, LilSis Mentoring’.
https://www.animayouth.co.uk/
Bella Trang Ngo
Bella is the CEO and founder of Brarista. Having trained as a bra fitter and working in high street shops whilst completing her master's degree in Tech Entrepreneurship, Bella wanted to combine those two areas and created Brarista a tech-solution to bra fitting virtually. Bella is building an inclusive, diverse and accessible solution for bra fitting for all.
https://www.brarista.co/
The Pour Moi Loves award will go to an exceptional woman who goes above and beyond in many aspects of her life. Her friends and family are in awe of everything she does, despite all the obstacles she's faced and challenges she's overcome. Nominate the selfless superwoman in your life and show her how much you care.
Winner
Kat Paylor-Bent
Kat was nominated because of the numerous hurdles she’s had to overcome. Now despite being fully wheelchair bound, Kat has turned her negative experience on its head and is now an advocate for the disabled community, entrepreneur, model, actor and public speaker. Driven by her love for people and life, Kat continues to support the community and bring awareness.
Finalists
Jo Dutfield
Jo was nominated because of the support she gives in her job as a healer. Despite going through her own journey, Jo continues to offer support, generosity, kindness and no judgement to anyone who needs it.
Laura Flaherty
Laura, who is unable to join us this evening, was nominated for going above and beyond. A busy mum of two, Laura is involved in raising money and hosting events for the school. She also fundraises for charity and raised over £800 for Macmillan through a cocktail evening.
Steph Newton
Steph was nominated because despite her own personal journey with her health Sarah is now a lead on women’s health and gives presentations across the civil service, focusing on period poverty, fertility, menopause and endometriosis.
Kath Phillis
Kath was nominated due to her hard work as a clinical nurse for the NHS and personal hardships that have taken place over the past couple of years. More recently Kath has begun training for Trek26, where she’ll walk 26 miles around the Peak District. Her charity of choice is the Alzheimer’s society and has already doubled her target donation.