EWIF award winners announced

Held at the London headquarters of NatWest and RBS on May 22 and attended by over 100 members of the UK franchise industry, the awards went to:

Lisa Suswain, Wagging Tales - The Coconut Creatives 2014 Woman Franchisor of the Year.

Clair Slingo, Wagging Tails - The Bartercard 2014 Woman Franchisee of the Year.

Vicky Matthews and Caroline Gowing, Pink Spaghetti - The McDonald’s 2014 New Woman Franchisor of the Year.

Hayley Simpson, Tatty Bumpkin - The Nomasvello 2014 New Woman Franchisee of the Year.

Hannah Banfield, ServiceMaster - The Franchise Show 2014 Woman Franchisor Employee of the Year.

Sally Anne Butters, Coconut Media - The Merry Maids 2014 Woman Service Provider of the Year.

Jane Masih of Owen White Solicitors won the Outstanding Contribution to Franchising award, sponsored by NatWest.

Owen White was involved in the establishment of the British Franchise Association in the late 1970s and Masih has been head of the legal firm’s franchising team since 2002.

She was elected to the board of the bfa in 2011 as the legal affiliate board member and re-elected in 2013. 

She currently serves on the finance and general purposes committee.

Masih was also a founding member of EWIF and is still an active member.

“It’s great to know we have honoured some of the best in the industry, both upcoming and established women in franchising,” Louise Harris EWIF co-chair and franchise director of Wilkins Chimney Sweep, says.
“We hope it will inspire women everywhere to take a closer look at franchising an as option, either buying into one of the many women friendly businesses available or franchising their own business.”

EWIF is a not for profit organisation run by volunteers from within the franchising industry that provides a range of free services, including telephone support, advice and mentoring.

Its aims are to encourage women who are looking to become franchisees, support women business owners who are looking to franchise their existing businesses and help existing franchisors to attract more women into their networks.