Meet the top mums who do the business

The awards were set up in 2009 in Dorset and now run in eight regions across the country. It’s the first time the awards have been brought to Oxfordshire.

Women have been able to nominate themselves or be nominated by friends, family or colleagues.

There are 15 categories, including Business of the Year, Business Woman of the Year, Inspirational Woman and Lifetime Achievement. The Oxford Mail is sponsoring the Business Mother of the Year section.

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Venus Awards were set up by mum-of-four Tara Howard, from Bournemouth.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail , she said: “The Business Mother category is one quite close to my heart, having run a business and juggled a family.

“You can feel guilty at every turn. You’re not spending enough time anywhere, with your family, the business, your partner, or on yourself.”

Oxford Mail judges have whittled down 56 nominations.

Our finalists have been asked to film a one-minute video and now there are just four days for you to choose you favourite.

You can view the videos online by visiting vala.venusawards. co.uk/vote/26 Winners will attend a ceremony at The Oxford Belfry Hotel at Milton Common, on Friday, November 14 and receive a trophy and certificate.

RUTH HAWKINS

FAMILY lawyer and Oxford Mail columnist Ruth Hawkins, 43, said her home life feeds into her work:

“I think being a mum makes me a better lawyer because I have empathy and understanding with the clients.”

 Ruth Hawkins

Mrs Hawkins, a partner at Oxford’s Turpin & Miller LLP, lives in Abingdon with her husband John and daughter Isobel, seven.

She said: “I think sometimes Isobel finds it hard that I work because she doesn’t get to do playdates very often. She goes to a child minder after school.

“But that’s the only thing she misses out on.”

CHRISTINE McRITCHIE

CHRISTINE McRitchie, 42, directs home-based Earthwise Trading, which sells female and baby products.

The Long Wittenham resident, mum to Ellie, 16, Rebecca, 14, Lucy, 13, and Victoria, 11, said: “It’s brilliant to be shortlisted, I didn’t think it would get this far.

Christine McRitchie

“Over the years my business has expanded so now I juggle four retail websites and wholesale and manufacturing.

“I’m just an ordinary mum who took an opportunity that came along. I’ve grown it around my family and it’s been successful.”

SALLY FOSTER

SALLY Foster, 41, set up the Treehouse Play Centre in her home town of Didcot when she decided that there were not enough facilities for children.

The soft play centre opened five years ago. 

Sally Foster with Molly and Max

Mrs Foster, mum to Molly, four and Max, two, said: “I was on maternity leave from my sales job with

Molly and I didn’t want to go back, I wanted to spend more time with my children.”

She said the move will teach her children about the working world: “I think it gives them an insight into life where mums don’t just stay at home, that they do have a career.”

JODY FLETCHER

JODY Fletcher is the director of Banbury-based Chilli Promotional Products - which provides branded items like mugs and T-shirts to companies – and is mum to two-year-old Lottie.

Jody Fletcher

She said: “At the moment I work quite random hours because she’s only at nursery two days a week.

“I don’t want to miss her growing up. The business will still be there in five years time.

“Hopefully in the long run it will be really good for her to teach her a good work ethic.

“You have to work for things in life. You need to work for the things that matter.”

JULIE MUTTON

MUM-of-two Julie Mutton set up her St Aldate’s beauty company Bare UK after moving to Oxfordshire from London in 2005.

The Wootton resident, 43, said: “The reason of moving out of London was to be more flexible for my children.”

Julie Mutton

Mrs Mutton, mum to Ruben, nine and Phoebe, four, said: “I wanted to be able to pick them up from school.

“Now I can do my own diary and work around that, which is great.

“It would be really nice to have someone recognise what we’re trying to do as working mums.”

ALISON THOMPSON

ALISON Thompson is setting up a business to help parents of children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder – better known as ADHD – after struggling with her son’s illness.

The Faringdon mum, 43, is mum to Katie, 20, and Dan, 16, who has ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Alison Thompson

She said: “Dan has had quite a difficult time. Life is difficult for him in lots of ways. It was just too hard to have a job and be flexible enough for Dan, I needed to be there for him more.”

She has now set up ADHD Kids, a coaching company for other parents: “I decided I wanted to do a lot more to help other parents with children who have ADHD."

SIAMA BEGUM

BEAUTICIAN Siama Begum juggles her business – Cowley Road-based Beauty Room – with being a mum to Rayhan, four, and Anya, two.

The Cowley resident, 34, said: “I’ve always been interested in beauty, and I thought it was time to move forward in my life and do something for myself rather than for an employer.

Siama Begum

“It was really tough but my friends and family were really supportive and told me to keep going and push forward even though it was hard.”

ANNA ROWE

BOOKEEPER Anna Rowe, from Wallingford, helps her staff juggle work and children as well as doing it herself.

The 42-year-old, mum to Saskia, five, and Caeden, two, said: “Most of my staff are working mums too so we’re all very flexible.

Anna Rowe with Saskia and Caeden

“If it’s school sports day or the nativity play you can go, so long as the work gets done.”

She said she set up her own business - Intelligent Admin Ltd - when she decided she wanted a family.

“I took a long, hard look at my life and decided that I wanted children which wouldn’t have worked with my old job in marketing.”

PENNY GILBERT

PENNY Gilbert, 34, runs children’s play business The Creation Station in Didcot and has two daughters, Lilia, six, and Vesper, two.

Penny Gilbert with daughters Lilia and Vesper

The Didcot resident, who organises play classes and groups, said: “I can’t believe I’ve got this far, I’m really shocked.

“I’ve never been recognised in this way before, it’s a real kudos.”

She added: “My kids have benefited massively because they’ve been involved in the classes and can have fun and learn from that.”

LESLEY SOUTHAM

AFTER making a cake for her daughter’s christening, Lesley Southam’s hobby slowly grew into her business, the Looby Loo Cake Company.

The Banbury 40-year-old said: “ I was in finance but I gave it up to be a full-time mum.”

Lesley Southam

She now looks after her step-daughter Robyn, 16, and children Cameron, eight and Millie, six.

She said: “Everyone said I should make cakes for a living.

“I always said no, but I started doing them for family and friends and it grew from there. We moved into our shop in Banbury in April last year.”

ALLIE EGGINGTON

ALLIE Egginton, 44, works from home as an operations manager at training company MD2MD.

The Freeland resident, mum to Harry, 15, Archie, 12 and Ellie, 10, said: “I did have my own business and as part of that I started working with my boss and I became so involved and passionate about the company I ended up joining full-time.

Allie Eggington

“He knows I need to be flexible for my kids and it’s just great.

“I want women to know that it can be done, there are employers out there who can help.”

For more information visit oxfordshire.venusawards.co.uk

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