Local Women In One Step Ahead Awards

FOUR Oxfordshire women have won extra funding to support their careers, as winners of the 2006 ?One Step Ahead Awards?.
The innovative awards programme is organised by the Oxfordshire Women?s Forum, a support network for women in the county?s professional, business and voluntary sectors.
Event Co-organiser, Marion Wilkes, says: ?The aim is to provide funding for women to help them further their career or professional life in a way they wouldn?t be able to do without financial help. The One Step Ahead Awards provide tangible help by offering women the opportunity to compete for a cash prize towards the cost of appropriate career or personal development or training.?
In first place was Sue Weinstock who set up her own business making a range of products from affordable jewellery to wall-hanging panels, out of fused glass. Sue plans to use her award to fund training, including bead making and precious metal clay work, to help her produce higher quality products, to extend her product range, and to allow her to teach others, including community group members.
Caroline Tilling (2nd place) will use her award to fund extra qualifications and accreditation for her fire safety consultancy.
Rosalie Weetman (3rd place) will use the funding she won to take an accredited Coaching and Mentoring programme to support her career development in the Thames Valley Probation Service.
Nyasha Gwatidzo (4th place) is the Founder and Director of two charities which raise funds for disadvantaged children in the UK and Africa and will use her award to improve her networking skills and those of her fellow workers and trustees. Nyasha lives at Ludgershall from where she runs her charity.

NB One of the judges was Keith Slater, who runs Essence in the Buttermarket, Thame.

A panel of independent judges reviews applications for the Awards, with the strongest being short-listed for interview before final decisions are made.

For more information on the Awards or the 2007 Programme of informal, interesting and stimulating networking events run by OWF, visit www.otcn.co.uk/owf.htm or contact Marion Wilkes on 01844 260703 or Mobile: 07817 807966, email marion@bkwilkes.freeserve.co.uk