The third annual Specsavers everywoman in Retail Awards took place on Tuesday, 14th September at The InterContinental in Park Lane, London.

TV presenter, fashion guru and all-round champion of strong female role models, Gok Wan was a fitting and fantastic compere for the ceremony. Gok was joined on stage by Dame Mary Perkins, co-founder of Specsavers. She shared a heartfelt speech explaining why she feels women are so important in helping to strengthen the UK economy through recession, and the key lessons she has learned as a woman working in retail that have led her to global retail success.

Over 300 guests, made up of key figures from fashion, retail, and media, were in attendance to show their support to all the inspirational finalists. This year's finalists came from a wide range of backgrounds and each unique story captivated the audience as their achievements were shared as we learned of the dramatic impact they have had on their organisations, charity work and contributions to their communities.

The evening ended in a standing ovation for Woman of the Year Award winner Jayne Cartwright of Save the Children UK. As they heard Jayne's story in more detail, the audience were moved to rise from their chairs and toast their glasses to a woman who has made a phenomenal impact on the charity retail sector, creating a whole new landscape for the industry.

Take a look at the list of exceptional winners & finalists>>