Women of the Year Awards 2026: Nominations Open for Inspirational Mums and Women Across the UK

The Women of the Year Luncheon Awards are back this October — and nominations open now!

If you’ve ever watched a brilliant woman juggle work, family, and everything in between and thought, she deserves to be recognised, this is your sign.

The Women of the Year Luncheon Awards (WOTY) are returning on 9th October 2026, shining a light on women who are making a real impact — in business, in communities, in leadership, and in everyday life. And with nominations opening on 5th March, now’s the moment to start thinking about who you’d love to see on that stage.

“Now in our 44th year, we continue to promote positive female role models who provide inspiration across all areas of society and the business community.”

Why WOTY matters (especially for mums)

So many mums are quietly doing extraordinary things. They’re building businesses between school runs. Leading teams while running on broken sleep. Creating community projects, mentoring others, fundraising, campaigning, innovating — and still showing up at home.

The problem isn’t a lack of talent. It’s that mums often don’t put themselves forward. Or they assume what they’re doing “doesn’t count” because it’s messy, behind the scenes, or still in progress.

WOTY is a reminder that impact doesn’t have to look perfect to be powerful.

Celebrating past winners who are mums

One of the things people love most about the WOTY Awards is how real the stories are.

Past winners have included mums who’ve:

• Launched businesses that solve genuine problems for families
• Created supportive communities for women and parents
• Led with empathy and grit in industries that don’t always make space for motherhood
• Turned personal challenges into purpose-driven work
• They’re proof that motherhood doesn’t shrink ambition — it often sharpens it.

If you’ve ever needed permission to take yourself seriously, look at the women on the WOTY website who’ve already won. Many of them are mums, and their wins are a reminder that you can grow a career and a family at the same time — even if it’s not always graceful.

Strong leadership at the heart of it

This year’s return is being guided by chair Zalena Vandrevala and fellow director Wendy Dean, whose leadership is helping shape a celebration that feels meaningful, modern, and genuinely inclusive.

And it’s also backed by the brilliant Sally Lindsay — an advocate for women’s stories and a familiar face who understands the power of visibility. When women like this are championing WOTY, you know it’s not just another awards night. It’s a platform.

THE WOMEN OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON & AWARDS HIGHLIGHT AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN ACROSS THE UK

Nominations are open now — here’s your nudge

Whether you’re a mum yourself or you know a mum doing something incredible, don’t wait for someone else to nominate her.

Ask yourself:

• Do I know a woman who’s built something from scratch while raising a family?
• Do I know someone who’s made a difference in her community, workplace, or industry?
• Do I know a mum who’s overcome something hard and turned it into impact?
• Do I know someone who never takes the credit, but absolutely deserves it?

If names are already popping into your head, trust that.

Final thought: recognition changes things

Awards aren’t just about a trophy or a photo.

They can lead to new opportunities, funding, partnerships, confidence, and visibility — the kind that helps women keep going, keep growing, and keep believing they belong in the room.

So as WOTY returns this October, let’s make sure the women we admire don’t stay hidden.

Nominations are open now.
Have a think: who do you know who should enter?

www.womenoftheyear.org.uk
Insta: @womenoftheyearawards

www.womenoftheyear.org.uk/about-us