A WINSFORD entrepreneur is encouraging female business women to showcase their successful achievements.

Emma Elston MBE, founder and chief executive of UK Container Maintenance (UKCM), and director of the prestigious Women of the Year luncheon and awards is heading up the business awards for the second year running.

UKCM is the UK’s largest family-owned container repair and refurbishment company.

The 38th Women of The Year Awards is scheduled to go ahead on October 16, 2020 and will celebrate positive female role models across all areas of society and business.

Entries are now open for the Business Woman of the Year Award and Woman with Edge Award and are expected to attract strong candidates from across the UK.

Drawing on her considerable experience as former winner of Business Woman of the Year 2012, Emma was honoured to be welcomed back for a second year onto the board of directors to play an integral part in the organisation.

Emma joins Jenny Campbell, an entrepreneur on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, Zalena Vandrewala, lawyer at Freeths LLP and artistic director and chief executive of Birmingham Hippodrome, Fiona Allan, alongside a new president who is yet to be announced.

Emma said: “It is such an honour to be invited back to join the board of directors for the second year running.

"This year I am heading up nominations for the Business Woman of the Year category, which invites submissions from entrepreneurs or members of an organisation’s senior management team from all industries and from the private and public sectors."

Colleagues, clients, family and friends can send in nominations or candidates can nominate themselves by completing the application form on the Women of the Year website.

READ > Let's thank the NHS, says Jack, 7 and children from Winsford Diamonds

Previous winners of these prestigious titles have been women of huge talent and skill who are also determined to further raise the profile of their peers to a wider audience and in three former winners have gone on to be named in the Honours list to recognise their entrepreneurial success.

The winner of the Business Woman of the Year title will have made a major contribution to the financial success and performance of an organisation and the judging panel will assess their different skills, abilities, influences and achievements.”

Each year Women of the Year proudly supports charities from across the UK.

In 2020,the chosen charities are The Prince’s Trust and Women supporting Women and Elle for Elle, a charity which donates sanitary products to women’s refuges across the UK.

The event has raised £500,000 for charities since it was launched, highlighting and supporting the work they do every single day.

All proceeds from the Women of the Year Awards go to charity and the directors work on a voluntary basis to champion women in the UK and promote equality and diversity in UK business.

Previous winners include Karren Brady, Sharon Redrobe OBE, Hilary Devey, Sally Preston and last year’s Business Woman of the Year winner Jennie Johnson, MBE and founder of Kids Allowed.

The organisation welcomes back sponsors including Freeths LLP, Pertemps, Strategi Solutions Ltd, NatWest, Boodles, Aston University, Equistone and Gordon’s Gin whilst announcing new sponsorship from Miss Media Ltd for 2020.

To make a nomination visit womenoftheyear.org.uk