Women ‘are doing it for themselves’!

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Women ‘are doing it for themselves’!

Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWIF) Awards 2012

The first winners of the Encouraging Women into Franchising (EWIF) Awards announced at the Awards Ceremony held at the NatWest building in London and attended by successful business women from across the country and from the wide ranging world of franchising.

The awards and were set up to recognise and reward the growing contribution and success of women involved in the franchise industry, one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK’s economy.

Clive Sawyer, chairman and founder of EWIF and the managing director of Business Options one of the UK’s leading Franchise Consultancies, said: “We were absolutely delighted at the response to these inaugural EWIF Awards both from the number and quality of entries received. It was especially pleasing that we had entries not just from the large very well know franchise brands but also from smaller less known franchises as well. The large turnout for the awards ceremony is a real indication of the level of support EWIF has from the whole franchise industry.”

EWIF was set up in 2008 by Clive Sawyer with the aim of inspiring, encouraging and supporting women thinking of or already involved in running a franchise. Members include franchisees and franchisors from every sector and from across the country.

The organisers were thrilled with the response to this inaugural event and the high calibre of all the entries.

In 2011 there were four awards:

1. Woman Franchisee of the Year 2010 -Sponsored by NatWest
2. Young Woman Franchisee of the Year 2010 (under 30) - Sponsored by Recognition Express
3. Woman Franchisor of the Year 2010 - Sponsored by Stevens & Bolton Solicitors
4. Woman Franchise Service Provider of the Year 2010 - Sponsored by Business Options

The 2011 winners were:

1. Lisa Tobias, Domino's Pizza, Woman Franchisee of the Year 2010
2. Amanda Perkins - Musical Minis -Young Woman Franchisee of the Year 2010 (under 30)
3. Sophie Brooks - Clive's Easylearn Pop Music Schools - Woman Franchisor of the Year 2010
4. Sarah Cook – Coconut Creatives - Woman Franchise Service Provider of the Year 2010

In 2012, the number of awards for the year 2011 has increased to six:

1. The NatWest Award for Woman Franchisee of the Year 2011
   Recognising the most successful woman franchisee during 2011
2. The Recognition Express Award for New Woman Franchisee of the Year 2011
   Recognising the most successful woman franchisee during 2011 that became a franchisee after 1^st January 2010.
3. The Coconut Creatives Award for Woman Franchisor of the Year 2011
   Recognising the most successful woman franchisor during 2011.
4. The WPA Award for New Woman Franchisor of the Year 2011
   Recognising the most successful woman franchisor during 2011 that launched their franchise after 1^st January 2009.
5. The Owen White Award for Franchisor Woman Employee of the Year 2011
   Recognising the most successful franchisor woman employee during 2012
6. The Franchise Show Award for Woman Franchise Service Provider of the Year 2011
   Recognising the most successful woman franchise service provider during 2012

PLUS - The Business Options Outstanding Contribution to Women in Franchising Award 2011 - Recognising the work of a woman who has made a major contribution to franchising in 2011.

Note: Individuals can not nominate themselves for this Award. The winner will be chosen by the judges based on their knowledge of the special work of the individual.

For further information on EWIF and the EWIF Awards 2012, go to www.ewif.org

Anyone wishing to enter one of the awards should go to www.ewif.org/page5.htm and download the relevant entry form and ensure they are received at awards@ewif.org by 5pm on 24^th February 2012. The Award Ceremony will be in London on Thursday 29^th March 2012.