RED MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF
RED’S HOT WOMEN AWARDS 2012
in association with euphoria Calvin Klein
LIVIA FIRTH CHAMPIONS ETHICAL FASHION & LIVING
STARS OF LONDON 2012 NICOLA ADAMS, ZOE SMITH AND CLARE BALDING AWARDED FOR THEIR OLYMPIC CONTRIBUTIONS
DIGITAL ENTREPRENEUR KATHRYN PARSONS LEADS THE WAY FOR WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY WITH TWO AWARDS
Red magazine is delighted to announce the winners of its annual Red’s Hot Women Awards 2012, in association with euphoria Calvin Klein. The awards, now in their fourth year, celebrate British women in the workplace.
This year’s awards see an impressive range of inspiring working women being recognised. Livia Firth, Creative Director of eco-age.com and co-founder of The Green Carpet Challenge, is presented the ‘Eco’ award for using her profile to give ethical fashion a celebrity platform.
The prestigious ‘Fashion’ award goes to Caren Downie, ASOS Buying Director, for her remarkable vision for the ASOS brand. Fashionistas Erin O’Connor, Debra Bourne and Caryn Franklin are recognised in the ‘Pioneer’ category for their campaigning work with All Walks Beyond the Catwalk.
Flying the flag for London 2012 are Olympic gold medallist Nicola Adams, Boxer, who is awarded ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ and Zoe Smith, Weightlifter, who is acknowledged in the ‘Woman to Watch’ category for sport. Clare Balding wins the ‘Media’ category for captivating the nation with her BBC Olympics coverage.
Kathryn Parsons, co-founder of Decoded, is the first winner to receive two awards in the ‘Digital’ and ‘Start-Up’ categories for her visionary digital business aimed at demystifying the world of computer coding.
In addition, Martha Payne, a 10-year-old blogger, is awarded ‘Woman to Watch: Blogger’ for Never Seconds, the blog she set up to report on her school dinners, and which has so far raised over £120,000 to provide school meals in Africa.
The awards ceremony also recognises impressive female talent in the restaurant scene, with Monica Galetti, Chef at La Gavroche, winning the Rose Gray Food Pioneer Award and Florence Knight, Head Chef at Polpetto, being awarded ‘Woman to Watch: Food’
The ‘Community / Charity’ award this year goes to Doreen Lawrence for the inspiring legacy she has created in memory of her son Stephen Lawrence. Christie Watson comes top in the ‘Creative’ category for her award-winning second novel Tiny Sunbirds Far Away and Helen McGinn, author of the Knackered Mothers’ Wine Club blog, is awarded best ‘Blogger’. Further accolades for truly impressive women include geneticist Dr Pia Ostergaard, the ‘Power Part-Timer’ who has made ground breaking discoveries to identify life saving gene mutations – and done it while working flexible hours. Shabana Mahmood, Higher Education Shadow Minister, is also recognised in the ‘Woman to Watch: Politics’ category for being one of the first Muslim Asian women in Parliament.
The categories were judged by some of the most inspirational professional women in Britain including; Red magazine Editor-in-Chief Sam Baker, Public Relations Director for Coty Prestige UK Kirsty Dale, Vice-Chair for West Ham Utd FC Karren Brady, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, CEO / Chairman of Shine Group Elisabeth Murdoch, Sky News Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, bestselling author India Knight, founder of Timewise Jobs Karen Mattison MBE and Chief Merchant for Harrods Marigay McKee.
The winners were announced at a champagne reception hosted by Lauren Laverne at One Marylebone.
Sam Baker, Red Magazine Editor-in-Chief, said:‘‘We are thrilled to be celebrating the achievements of some this country’s most inspiring working women. This year’s Red’s Hot Women Awards, in association with euphoria Calvin Klein, have recognised some truly amazing women and I congratulate everyone on their success.’
Why have they won?
Blogger
Helen McGinn, 39, Knackered Mothers’ Wine Club – What started on a whim has now become a popular blog and a book deal – proof that a love of a glass or two of wine is never a bad thing.
Community / Charity
Doreen Lawrence, 60, Founder, Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust – For challenging the British legal system and inspiring a nation with her vision of a community-based legacy for her son.
Creative
Christie Watson, 35, Author & Resuscitation Nurse – For winning one of the most coveted and respected awards for new writers, whilst also holding down a day job in nursing.
Digital / Start-Up
Kathryn Parsons, 31, Co-Founder, Decoded – For championing the agenda of women in technology, specifically encouraging women to be code-literate, in a way that is manageable and practical.
Eco
Livia Firth, 42, Creative Director of eco-age.com – For using her profile to give ethical fashion a platform and proving it’s a good business to go green.
Fashion
Caren Downie, 51, Buying Director ASOS – At a time when the retail sector is struggling, Caren’s vision has resulted in triple-figure sales growth.
Media
Clare Balding, 41, TV presenter and Olympic anchor – For her widely praised TV anchoring of the BBC’s London 2012 coverage and making her mark as a female sports broadcaster in a field that remains stubbornly male-dominated.
Media (Posthumous)
Marie Colvin, 56, award-winning journalist – Killed in Syria whilst reporting from the frontline, the judges created a special award this year to honour Marie’s groundbreaking journalism.
Pioneers
Debra Bourne, Erin O’Connor & Caryn Franklin, 48, 34 and 53, Founders of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk – For using their collective experience in the fashion world to campaign for a more diverse representation of women.
Power Part-Timer
Dr Pia Ostergaard, 42, Geneticist – After taking a career change, Pia has made groundbreaking discoveries to identify gene mutations, which will help save lives. And she’s done it whilst working part-time hours.
Rose Gray Food Pioneer
Monica Galetti, 36, Senior Sous Chef at Le Gavoche – For her unflinching resolve to make it to the top and to be treated as an equal in a male-dominated industry.
Sportswomen of the Year
Nicola Adam, 29, Boxer – For winning her way into the history books as the first ever female gold-winning Olympic boxer. Next stop Rio.
Woman to Watch: Food
Florence Knight, 26, Head Chef of Polpetto – For climbing the ranks in a male-dominated industry to run the kitchen of one of London’s leading restaurants, at only 26.
Women to Watch: Sport
Zoe Smith, 18, Weightlifter – For setting a new British record in the women’s 58kg at London 2012 and overcoming Twitter critics with her brave blog posts.
Woman to Watch: Politics
Shabana Mahmood, 31, Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood – As one of the first Muslim Asian women in Parliament, Shabana is an inspiring force for more diversity amongst our MPs.
Woman to Watch: Blogger
Martha Payne, 10, Blogger – For inspiring hundreds of children in Britain to create their own blogs, scrutinising everything from fashion to their school sports days, and for raising over £120,000 for charity