The Centre for Women's Enterprise (CWE) at the University of Bedfordshire has won a prestigious national award for its innovative leadership and business growth services for women across England.

The Centre has assisted hundreds of women from across the country to grow their personal, leadership and business skills - with clients from as far afield as Plymouth to Yorkshire benefiting from training, workshops, networking, research and events.

This included the UK’s first women-only Masters in Business Administration (MBA) for Developing Business funded by the European Social Fund.

The CWE was presented with the Lloyds TSB sponsored Prowess 'Innovator Award', at the Prowess Awards ceremony in Brighton last Wednesday (7 February), where Erika Watson, Chief Executive of Prowess, commended the team for the extraordinary impact their services are having on women’s lives and work.

“We have had great feedback from women on the positive difference the Centre is making to them,” said Head of Centre, Dawn Jordan. “This includes increased confidence, self-belief and motivation, greater strategic insight, improved skills, personal and business growth, new jobs, valuable relationships formed, and new doors opened.

“We're particularly proud to have a reputation for warmth, inclusiveness, high standards of service and a genuine interest in our clients. People can be assured of a very warm welcome here, and an opportunity to be themselves and raise their game.”

Women who have used the services the Centre offers to help their business succeed include:

• Caroline Taysom, Managing Director of Giffords Ltd, a national importer and distributor of specialist foods, based in Luton. She has taken the business from steep decline in 1995 to a turnover today in excess of £5 million with a staff of 31. Services at the Centre including the Centre’s MBA have positioned Caroline to make a step change in the growth of her business.
• Kate Tingey, who gained the confidence, skills and contacts to leave her job as a solicitor and start her own business ‘The Solictors Coach’, based in Biggleswade, which is already attracting many professional clients.
• Veronica Cooper who runs the St Albans-based Coaching Alliance, working with large corporate firms and sole-traders. She has expanded her client base and grown her business as a result of working with the Centre.
• Tonya Jones the owner of Innergym, a private gym in Berkhamsted. She has doubled her turnover in one year as a result of work with the Centre and the networking contacts she made.

Dawn added: “Winning the Prowess Innovator Award is extremely significant and places the University at the forefront of women’s enterprise provision in the country.

“It's a fantastic achievement against a backdrop of ambitious targets within short timescales, and represents a huge team effort of the CWE team and colleagues across the University, as well as the many women we work with who have responded so positively and enthusiastically."

To find out more about the CWE visit www.beds.ac.uk/women or call 01582 743 931.