Woman of Influence Awards 2024

Our 2023 event

On Sunday 12th March 2023, the WOI board and Action for Children gathered to celebrate the many incredible women across Scotland - hosted by Susie Cormack Bruce & Alex Fleming, whilst raising vital funds for Action for Children. We are delighted to announce that we raised an incredible £110,715 for vulnerable children and young people.

At the 2023 event, WOI raised £14,000 for our Stoneside Short Breaks Service to have one of their outdoor buildings fitted with sensory equipment to meet the needs of the young people they support.

The sensory room has now been created and benefits the young people hugely during their overnight stays. It is used to support young people to regulate their emotions and is particularly important for the young people that are non-verbal as they communicate through their behaviours and therefore can self soothe in a calming environment.

Stoneside short breaks is a short-term residential service for people with a variety of learning difficulties and challenging behaviours. Located in the southside area of Glasgow, the six-bed bungalow boasts an extensive rear garden with play equipment and front communal space.

Woman of Influence 2023 Winners

This year’s Woman of Influence was Scottish Commonwealth Champion and three-time Olympian, Eilish McColgan. McColgan won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games for the 10,000 metres, silver for the 5,000 metres, and recently set a new British record for the 10,000 metres.

Whilst she was unable to attend the event due to her London Marathon training camp, McColgan reacted to the news of her win, saying: “It's a real honour to be given this award. 2022 will be a tough year for me to beat, but starting off the 2023 year with a new British Record and now this WOI award - it really feels like the start of something special. Thank you for the incredible honour. I hope to continue to make Scotland proud and inspire the next generation of youngsters to follow their goals!”

The 32-year-old athlete was shortlisted as a finalist for the award alongside BBC political journalist, Laura Kuenssberg; Quantum Innovation Sector Lead, Dr Sonali Mohapatra; and BBC News North America Editor, Sarah Smith.

Action for Children Scotland Woman to Watch Award

The key part of the event is the ‘Woman to Watch Award’ which was first introduced in 2018. It recognises women at the onset of their careers who have already had a tremendous impact in their field and are on the path to achieving great things.

This year’s winner of the award was Zara Mohammed. Zara is the first female, youngest, and first Scottish Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain.

Reacting to the news of her award, Zara said: “I am deeply honoured to receive such an acknowledgement and Special 'Women to Watch 2023' Award.  Being a young leader and the first woman to take on my role, I do hope my efforts will inspire other young people to feel confident that they too can do whatever they put their minds to. I would like to thank everyone at Action for Children for this very special recognition.”

Inspirational Young Woman Award

The 2023 Inspirational Young Woman Award went to Kiera from Action for Children’s Stoneside Family Support Service. Keira has been supported by Action for Children, Stoneside Family Support since she was eight years old and has captured the hearts of all the staff members and young people there. She has a diagnosis of ADHD, brain damage, nystagmus, and epilepsy however this has not held her back in life. Her positive outlook on life is an inspiration to everyone who meets her. Kiera comes to Stoneside for two nights every fortnight and enjoys supporting other young people to settle into the service and address any anxieties they may have.

For more information on the Woman of Influence Awards and how you can support, contact Nicole Tweeddale: [email protected]