EIGHT MORAY WOMEN have been named as finalists for local awards to be announced at a glittering ceremony next month.
The nominees for the Moray Business Woman of the Year and Most Enterprising Business of the Year have been announced by the Moray Business Women’s Club, who will be holding their tenth annual Awards Ball on November 12.
At the same time the MBW has revealed a raft of stunning prizes on offer at the event – including the auction of the flight experience of a lifetime, a chance to take to the Tornado GR4 simulator at RAF Lossiemouth.
MBW Club President, Donna Harper, said she has been overwhelmed with the quality of entries for the awards – and very excited to be offering such a massive charity auction prize.
She said: “The calibre of entries this year was phenomenal and it is great to see that we have such a vibrant business community for women and that there are so many women leading the way in their roles whether as an employees or as a business owner.
“The entries are judged independently and we are looking forward to seeing who takes home the titles on the night.
“We are absolutely blown away with our main auction item. We have had some fantastic offers, but this really is a gift that money can’t buy.
“The Awards ceremony is one of our best attended events of the year and it is open to non-members as well, so if anyone fancies bidding on this auction lot, they will need to get their tickets booked.”
Former RAF Tornado GR4 Navigator and now MBW member Caroline Overton, who helped to secure the auction lot, said it was very rare for the public to get this opportunity: “Opportunities for the general public to get their hands on this piece of kit are extremely rare, it is not a toy, but real cockpits where real operational training is conducted.
“As the Tornado GR4 goes out of service in a couple of years this may be the last chance civilians will ever get to operate a Tornado GR4 simulator.”
The once in a lifetime prize has been offered by Thales, owner and operator of the training complex at RAF Lossiemouth.
Mike Looseley, site training manager at RAF Lossiemouth said: “The Tornado GR4 is a world class ground attack and reconnaissance aircraft and the winner will be able to experience at first hand the capabilities of the aircraft and its weapons systems.
“This is not a computer game or a fairground attraction; it is the actual simulator used to train the RAF’s front line Tornado crews.”
Award Finalists
MBW Most Enterprising Business of the Year
Sarah Holmes – Pencil Me In
Jude Sims – Hellygog
Claire Doughty – Chit Chat PR & Digital.
Moray Business Woman of the Year
Kerry McKay – Purity Health Beauty & Well Being
Claire Doughty – Chit Chat PR & Digital
Jacqui Cruickshank – The Ditsy Teacup
Kirsty Watson – Mackenzie Investment Strategies Ltd
Lara Beach – Beach Craft Spirits Ltd
Shelley Waters – Clydesdale Bank.
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