This year’s NatWest-sponsored EWiF awards took place in October, highlighting the growing success of females in this specialised business sector.
Pop Up Play Village and Right at Home UK were just two of the many franchises recognised at the recent EWiF (Encouraging Women into Franchising) awards ceremony, which this year was staged online.
Among the individuals to be honoured in this NatWest-sponsored event were Louise Evans and Rachel Fay, as women from all over the country clicked-in to celebrate the success of their fellow franchisors, franchisees and those employed in this growing industry.
EWiF has been in existence since 2010, inspiring women to join the world of franchising while also supporting those already in it. According to their website, the last few years have witnessed a significant increase in the number of women entering this area of business.
It reads: “Over the past three years, 37% of all new franchisees joining the industry have been female – that’s a huge rise of 20% since 2015. In 2018 we also saw the highest proportion of total female franchisees in the industry (since survey stats began), with 30% of all franchisees being female. These stats are extremely encouraging, although there is still some way to go.”
The organisation also reports that “there is a particular rise in the number of younger women investing in franchises.”
The full list of award winners, from the virtual ceremony held on Wednesday, October 21st, is as follows:
New Woman Franchisor of the Year (sponsored by Daisy First Aid)
Becky Hoare (Pop Up Play Village)
Becky franchised Pop Up Play Village in February 2018, after launching just one year earlier. She now has eight franchisees. In 2019, Becky developed curriculum planning for EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and KS1 (Key Stage 1), enabling her to take Pop Up Play Village into schools and nurseries.
Woman Franchisor of the Year (sponsored by Hitachi Capital Franchise Finance)
Lucy Campbell (Right at Home UK)
Joining Right at Home UK five years ago, Lucy uses her experience and values-based leadership style to develop a culture of trust. In 2019, in recognition of her commitment to the business, she was promoted to chief operating officer.
New Woman Franchisee of the Year (sponsored by NatWest)
Fiona Cochrane (Little Movers)
Fiona overcame severe anxiety to follow her dream and become a franchisee with Little Movers UK. Fiona’s classes are sold out every term and she has a waiting list of care homes wanting to secure her services.
Woman Franchisee of the Year (sponsored by McDonald’s Restaurants)
Catharine Chalton (Home Instead Senior Care)
Catharine began her Home Instead franchise business in 2007 and 12 years later was employing 180 staff. She has an annual turnover of £2.8m and was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Woman Franchise Employee of the Year (sponsored by What Franchise)
Louise Evans (Revive!)
Louise has worked for Revive! since July 2014 as a bookkeeper. Her dedication to diligence shone through and she was later promoted to the management team.
Young Woman in Franchising of the Year (sponsored by Darwin Gray)
Rachel Fay (Little Learners)
At 29, Rachel is the managing director and franchisor of Little Learners. In 2019, she steered the company through the brand’s launch in Australia.
Service Provider of the Year (sponsored by The International Franchise Show)
Suzie McCafferty (Platinum Wave)
Suzie is one of the UK’s most prominent franchise consultants and has been involved in the industry for 20 years. She’s also a successful franchisor, with two international brands of her own. In 2021 she starts a new role as EWiF‘s regional chairperson for the newly created Scottish department.
Inspirational Woman in Franchising (sponsored by Platinum Wave)
Jenni Dunman (Daisy First Aid)
Jenni is CEO of Daisy First Aid and she recently launched a new mindset business. By 2019, Jenni’s thriving network had 97 franchises, training a total of 100,000 parents every year.
Ambassador of the Year (sponsored by Boddy Matthews)
Kieran James (Stryde)
Kieran runs Stryde, offering accountancy, training and business plan support to the franchise industry. In 2019 he became regional chairperson for the north east. A true EWiF ambassador, Kieran also supports other regional offices, attending as many as 10 EWiF regional events, as well as the annual awards and yearly conference.
Our Overall Woman in Franchising 2020 was presented by Pip Wilkins, the CEO of the British Franchise Association (BFA), and awarded to Louise Evans of Revive!.
About EWiF:
They are a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers, providing advice and guidance to women who are looking for a route into the franchise industry. Their mission is to educate, inspire and empower women considering, or already involved in franchising, through a network of ambassadors.
