Inspirational women from all over the UK are congregated at the Hilton on Park Lane, London, to celebrate the winners of the 2015 FTA everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards on 3 June 2015.
Selected by a judging panel of industry leaders, these women are considered the finest in their field in the UK, whether as engineers, drivers, young trailblazers, or managers going above and beyond the day job.
The FTA everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards were launched eight years ago with the primary aim of raising the profile of women excelling in the industry in order to make it known that transport and logistics is an industry that is inclusive and open to all.
The Woman of the Year award was presented to Fiona Kerr, aged 37, who is Managing Director of First Glasgow. Fiona was recognised for being the first female Managing Director of any of First Group’s UK local bus businesses, and for championing women in the company, having proactively achieved a 50/50 gender split among her executive director team.
"I don't know many, if any leaders, who achieve things on their own," she said. "I'm very fortunate to work with a fantastically talented team in Glasgow. Thank you also to my mum and dad who brought me up to believe I could achieve anything I put my mind to, if I worked my socks off."
"Transport isn't just about getting people from A to B," she said. "It's about helping people live their lives."
The Warehousing Award – sponsored by DHL:
Joanne Harrison (38), Days Warehouse Shift Manager, ASDA, from Hartlepool.
"I used to work in retail, which is female dominated, so my transition across to distribution where it's male dominated was quite a different thing," she said. "It just shows how ASDA is developing people in different areas."
Rising Star of the Year Award – sponsored by Wincanton:
Zoë Dobell (27), Project Engineer, London Underground, from London.
"I want to thank my boss Nigel who nominated me for this award. He's been very supportive throughout my career," she said. "And I'd like to thank my dad – without him I would have never known that women can be engineers."
Driver of the Year Award – sponsored by Motor Transport:
Kerryn Hedley (31), Bus Driver, Reading Buses, from Reading.
"I want to say thank you very much to Reading Buses – I do genuinely love my job!" she said. "I feel like I'm a valued member of the team, and this really is the best decision I've ever made, coming to Reading Buses!"
Team Leader of the Year Award – sponsored by High Speed 1 (HS1):
Lt Cdr Elaine Boyd RN (34), Logistics Officer, Royal Navy, from London.
"I absolutely love being a logistician, and there's one thing I love more, and that's being a leader," she said. "If it wasn't for the dedication and drive of my team, we wouldn't have achieved what we have. I owe a huge amount of thanks to my department."
Industry Champion Award – sponsored by TNT UK:
Nicola Hosty (41), Head of HR Support Services, Northern Rail, from Leeds.
"I am totally in awe of everyone in this room!" she said. "I'm really a firm believer in promoting gender diversity in the rail industry, but you can't be what you can't see, so I want to engage the media to show what a great industry transport and logistics can be. Let's promote us, because we're all great!"
Leader of the Year Award – sponsored by Asda Logistics Services:
Jenny Hooper (45), Managing Director, Independent Freight, from Nuneaton.
"Take a deep breath! I'm so surprised to be here," she said, "and I'd like to say well done to the other two women in this category. "I'd really like to thank my husband who has supported me all the way, and I'm really proud to be here."
Innovation & Sustainability Award:
Zoe Powers (35), Sales and Customer Relations Director, GLH, from London.
"I feel very inspired by all your stories," she said. "I want to say thank you to my managing director who supports my innovative and crazy ideas, and backs them 100%! A big thank you to everyone at GLH, and thank you to everyone here today."
Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder of everywoman, comments, “The transport and logistics industry offers myriad opportunities for people from all backgrounds and skillsets, with the passion and determination to succeed. The women celebrated today show what makes the industry so great – they are breaking barriers, changing perceptions, and are role models for others, both those already forging a career in the industry and those who have never even considered it. As industry ambassadors, our winners have the ability to attract new talent to the sector.”
David Wells, Chief Executive Officer, FTA adds: “The Freight Transport Association is delighted to once again be the Title Partner of the 2015 everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards. This event showcases how women can make a successful and fulfilling career in transport, and the record number of entries to this year’s categories is indicative of how important these Awards are to our industry.
“A staggering 2.2 million people work in transport and logistics in the UK, but less than a quarter of these employees are female. The current driver shortage crisis illustrates the need for our industry to access a wider talent pool in order to meet its need for good quality staff. Working with everywoman helps FTA highlight the importance of the freight and logistics sector, and encourages others to join what is an essential industry to the UK economy.”
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