Sue Petty, Woman of the Year

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Sue was nominated for 'volunteering in the borough for 25 years and [being] an amazing ambassador' and 'strong supporter of women's issues'. Sue has worked tirelessly to achieve equality and make Sidcup a better place.

Sue said:

Being recognized for my contributions towards inclusion is truly humbling and exciting. It reinforces my belief that we can all make a difference by promoting diversity and acceptance. I am proud to be part of a movement that celebrates and values each individual's unique qualities and abilities. Thank you for acknowledging my efforts. I strongly advocate for our community, both in business and social aspects. I believe that inclusion is a state of mind rather than just a program or project. Everyone is important and valuable and has something to offer our community. Amazing things happen when you encourage people to have a voice and influence decisions that affect them. Together, we can create a community where everyone has mutual respect for each other and is empowered to speak up when there are issues and have equal access to opportunities.... It is beneficial for the residents, the environment, and the businesses. Let's work together to build a vibrant, safe and secure community where everyone is valued and can thrive both socially and professionally.”

Playle & Partners LLP, Organisation of the Year

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Playle & Partners LLP was nominated for being 'an organisation passionate about women’s rights, careers and equality, who have worked hard to address gender inequality in business, particularly the construction industry.'

Playle & Partners LLP said:

We are very proud to have been nominated.... To be acknowledged among our local community is greatly appreciated and is a testament to the collective efforts of every individual within our organisation who has contributed to our shared vision of a more equitable future.... Our goal is to inspire, empower, and uplift all women in every aspect of our business and beyond. As a construction-based SME business, we have made it our mission to be pioneers of inclusivity and advocates for diversity in a traditionally male-dominated sector. [From project management to architecture, cost management to executive leadership, we ensure that every voice is heard, every idea is valued, and every opportunity is accessible, irrespective of gender.] With a legacy spanning seven decades, our company, rooted in the Bexley community, stands as a testament to resilience, innovation and the unwavering belief in the importance of diversity in leadership.... We proudly boast 60% female ownership - a testament to our unwavering dedication to breaking down barriers and paving the way for a more inclusive future. Our commitment to inspiring inclusion extends beyond this.... We understand the profound impact of representation and visibility, particularly for the next generation of aspiring women leaders. Through mentorship programs, training, and educational partnerships, we strive to cultivate a pipeline of talent that reflects the diversity of our local community. By dismantling barriers and fostering a culture of inclusivity, we hope to create pathways for future generations to thrive.”

Sonia Thapa

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[I am the] owner of the first Home Care Company in.... Bexley Borough to have achieved Outstanding CQC, I believe our ethos, values in changing the face of ageing has inspired inclusion not only in our business but to our families, local communities and charities. [After years of learning and development,] we have won multiple awards and an MBE for Voluntary sector. Quote from our Late Queen: “Home Instead[’s] hard work and dedication make such a commendable contribution to the communities in.... Bexley. The Queen thank[s] you for your kind thought in writing as you did. The council has provided us with the tools; I just build on the resources we have. My journey has not been an easy one, I managed to train hundreds of volunteers to give back to their community in need,.... redistribute over 100,000 surplus meals to those in need most, such as single parents living in poverty, homeless and older vulnerable people. We are true ambassadors promoting inclusion in Bexley. We believe in maximising limited resources and fund for the betterment of our Borough. Better Stronger Together. Our success is a true testament of inclusion and sharing good practice in our Borough and surrounding areas.”

Elizabeth Tragheim

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First and foremost, I would like to say that I am truly grateful to be nominated. To be recognised by others for what you are trying to achieve is very humbling. As a young woman, the world I entered was male dominated and progress required the breaking of long-established glass ceilings. I am proud that by becoming one of the first female partners in a global accountancy firm, I have played some part in changing the employment landscape for those women who have followed me. [I] passionately believe in the importance of inclusion. Any form of exclusion needs to be challenged [and] every person deserves to be treated equally. Inclusion is central to my present work [as] an Anna Chaplain based at St John the Evangelist Church, Sidcup, leading an [outstanding team] of 20 volunteers, building communities with inclusion at the core. Our projects include ‘Place of Welcome’, ‘Community Larder’, ‘English Lessons for Ukrainians’ and ‘Singing for the Brain’.”

Gill Bates

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For nearly 11 years I have worked as project manager for Bexley Foodbank. We are a Christian charity, but we ensure we include all people that are in need. A large demographic of our clients are females, of all [ages, nationalities, ethnicities] and religions. I have seen a huge change in the demographics of the area. We have seen a significant increase in women attending via Women’s Aid. “We have four centres [and 135 volunteers, serving six days a week. I am full time, and we have a part time member of staff, who has made a significant difference financially for our clients. We don’t just want to give out food, we want to see lives restored, living in dignity, good health and happiness. We have cafe options in three centres so people can come and have tea, biscuits, and a chat. Poverty can feel extremely lonely, but we want people to feel valued. Thank you for my nomination, I feel very honoured.”

Lisa Murray

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I have lived in Sidcup for nearly 60 years. Being able to place a wide range of people into local jobs in the community I love has been the best job ever and I have such an amazing team. Braundton is passionate about inclusion when it comes to placing candidates into jobs in our local community. We are about people and.... changing people’s lives. I set up my agency 12 years ago, to bring back the personal touch in a sector that was becoming very online. My team and I ensure that candidates from all backgrounds, have a voice and are heard - placing school leavers, 'people to returning to work', candidates with disabilities working with our clients to accommodate reasonable adjustments, and those considered ‘overqualified’. During the pandemic We offered to place school leavers unable to take their exams for no monetary gain to our clients.... and have set up thousands of free online training courses to upskill [candidates]. My team are at the core of this and after personally having had 40 years of placing candidates into work, letting somebody know you’ve got the job is the best feeling to date!”

Louise Savage-Knight

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I am honoured to be considered for an award for 'Woman of the Year' from the Council. [I] work in the Met Police Joint Engagement Team, with a focus on Violence Against Women and Girls. This is a societal problem and one, as a Police Officer and member of society, a subject I am very passionate about and want to tackle. Through prevention and intervention, we can educate and empower people to make changes to put a stop to systematic misogyny, move the boundaries for a more positive and equitable future for all. I organise events, deliver training, [and provide advice and information.] I have run a very successful initiative called ‘Walk and Talk’, where female members of the public can book a [meet] a female Police Officer to discuss any concerns and questions they may have. This has been hugely successful in engaging with seldom heard [female] voices, identify offenders, and build strong community ties. Some of the biggest journeys of change, begin with the smallest steps.”

Northumberland Heath Girl Guides

Girl Guiding values [include] Caring, Challenging and Empowering. Girl Guiding is open to any young female from 4 to 19 years. We work with.... girls and women from all walks of life, identities, and lived experiences, to [ensure] a sense of belonging and provide an equal platform for all girls, allows equality and embraces diversity. Through the meetings, events and trips that we organised for the girls we challenged them, take them to new surroundings, open doors of opportunity. It’s about fun and adventure. Being nominated is an honour and the leaders should all be proud of the nomination, because they give so much more than just time to these future leaders, they are role models, they are mentors, they are a safe person to confided in, they are listeners, they are the person the girl tries to new things with and pushes herself to try with. These women are truly inspirational and are pillars in our community.”

Genasa Mitchell

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I am truly humbled and honoured to have been nominated for this prestigious award. [I am] an advocate for championing equality and diversity for Bexley staff. “Having a voice that represents diversity and inclusion.... comes with many challenges and at times a female voice is often suppressed over the male voice – this too I encountered but managed to rise above. Celebrating Sisterhood at the recent Black History Month, it was prominent that black women have always been at the cornerstone of social justice movements, fighting against oppression and paving the way for change. When women inspire women, we are destined to do better! An award of this standing curates an environment of empowerment and for that I am grateful. My achievements are dedicated to my humble mum who inspired me to push limits and to do this with grace and decorum as she always said, ‘knowledge is power’ and I hope to emulate this whilst I continue to inspire other like-minded women to achieve their goals.”

Paula Dodds

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I am honoured and privileged to have been nominated for an award. I have represented women in policing for 20 years since joining in 2004 and continue to strive for inclusion and development of women both within the policing family and the community. We have made great progress in this time, but I know we need to do more. I am passionate about my role and.... a leading voice in inclusion and diversity, [doing] all that I can to promote and support women to overcome barriers, giving support and advice. I truly believe that anything is possible and with help and support from peers and mentors anything is achievable.”

TAG Hair

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TAG Hair and Beauty have grown independent young women from school apprenticeship level who have developed into strong, skilled, capable and confident women who have returned to employment at Tag Hair after reaching Motherhood, such is our nurturing environment.

Maria Migdal

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I am honoured to have been nominated for woman of the Year for International Women's Day. Being recognised for my efforts in promoting inclusivity and equality is incredibly meaningful. I consider myself fortunate to be surrounded by a circle of remarkable women who uplift and inspire one another every single day. Among them, my mum stands as my role model and has really driven me to be the person I am. In my circle of amazing women, there's a sense of camaraderie and sisterhood. We lift each other up, celebrate each other's victories and provide a shoulder to lean on during challenging times. As co-chair of the LGBTQ+ Workers group and through my involvement with [equality networks] I use my position to ensure we embrace differences both internally and externally, so all our residents and staff feel seen, heard, included, and engaged. I am extremely proud of the [growth we have contributed to,] making sure Bexley is a safe space for all. I am so proud to be part of this movement for equal rights and as a parent I am now raising my children to show kindness and respect. It is important to have open conversations about equality. I am a firm believer in education,.... [empowerment and representation.] I like to think that I contribute to this every day."

Adrija Biswas

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Adrija is a corporate leader, motivational speaker, innovator, humanitarian, 9/11 Survivor and beauty queen – Mrs India UK Universe 2019. She has Masters in Engineering from Columbia University NY and MBA from Warwick Business school UK. Adrija has received the FCA Eureka Award for innovative solution to empower vulnerable and disenfranchised women. She has won multiple accolades, recognised as Global Inspirational women by BBC London and felicitated at the UK House of Parliament. Adrija is an Inclusion and Diversity advocate, mentor for Girls in STEM promoting women leadership, 50/50 gender balance and Mental Health awareness. Adrija is passionate for social causes such as domestic violence awareness, women’s education, equality, and leadership. She continues to inspire others by launching Rise and Shine Again (RASA), an initiative to empower women to find a purpose and feel inclusive in society financially, emotionally, and socially. Through RASA she has created safe spaces for women to get together across Bexley and wider. She [set up the] ‘Strong Sister support’ WhatsApp group,.... hosted the ‘Speakup and Empower Survivor Real Talks’.... and mentored 200 analysts from diverse backgrounds. She has already impacted 100’s of women’s lives directly and has created a chain of paying forward the blessings where each one of them are creating a ripple effect.

ITRM

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Celebrating 25 years of serving the industry in 2024, ITRM is a Managed Service Provider, delivering a range of technical services and solutions to businesses within London. ITRM is proud to be a Bexley based SME business and looks to contribute to the local community through investment in the individuals that work for us and recruiting talent locally. Our vision and values are built around honesty, integrity and building trust, applicable internally with our workforce and externally to our clients. We work with local charities and organisations [to] tackle inequalities, extending further than gender inequality – this is important to ITRM as we understand our responsibility surrounding EDI as a business,.... building a positive and progressive environment for all.

Premier Lodge Nursery

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Premier Lodge Day Nursery first opened in 1966 by Jeanne Hamilton, it is now in the third generation of women in the family, her Grand Daughter Cassandra Grice, now Director. We are thriving children’s day Nursery in the heart of Sidcup with a strong family and community ethos. We have grown [into] an inspirational team of 50, mostly women, which is such a fantastic achievement, and are lucky enough to have three male staff. We work with Bexley Two Fold to provide opportunities for adults with learning disabilities. We pride ourselves in being inclusive, and celebrate events such as mental health awareness week, International Women’s day, and plan fun activities and treats for our team members. Being Nominated for this award is such an amazing achievement, to know that we are making a difference. We know that Cassandra's Nan would be so proud of her, continuing the business and creating a thriving, growing Nursery many years on, support[ing] individuals to be the best they can be.... and be role models to our next generation."

Sue Davies

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I am totally overwhelmed and feel honoured to be nominated for this award. I have been in Guiding for nearly 30 years, as a brownie leader, rainbow leader, Going Away Adviser, and a Division Commissioner. Working in an [equally fantastic] team is just an amazing feeling. Every girl should have the chance to develop their potential, to be proud of what they can do. Girls with disabilities, special needs, girls from difficult and different backgrounds – we encourage every girl to say [into guiding and to have] the confidence to say things aloud. My passion for guiding runs deeps for helping and encouraging girls of all ages.... to give the girls challenges and adventures that they would never [otherwise] get. Seeing the girls learn new skills, conquer fears, make friends from different cultures, abilities and have fun along the way is what I love about Guiding.”

Kavita Trevena

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When I started The Unlikely Mummy nearly six years ago, I never thought the impact this would have had on the community around me. It started off as a blog about how difficult parenting is and how unprepared I was, and soon became a platform to support, share, encourage and empower mums who were struggling with their own mental health after becoming a mum. I wanted to ensure that everybody had a voice.... and this for me was important when I decided to make.... The Unlikely Mummy into a Community investment organisation. I have been able to support mums with their physical and mental wellbeing. Help parents from different backgrounds and barriers.”

Rosie Bedi

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I have served in Bexley children’s social care for 34 years and counting. I have seen change and consider that I am an active participant of the culture of change. I came as the first global majority woman employed in Bexley. I have had my fair share of my challenges.... but have been fortunate to have many allies around me. I am a team manager of Staying Together team. Over the years’ I have developed, staff, services, and community projects within social care. I believe in early prevention and empowerment and [am motivated] watching others develop. It has been rewarding bringing them along in my journey. It has been determination, hard work, resilience, commitment, and adaptability that has kept me going to promote diversity whilst being a relatable role model. Upon reflection I feel that last few years have been significant for my journey as a leader. In the words of Serena Williams 'every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We are strongest when we cheer each other on'. I have qualified as a counsellor and family therapist and hold a Diploma in empowering community and developing projects, empowering & leadership, and social work. I was awarded in 2003 for inspiring communities, 2005 for empowering and bringing global majority communities together in Bexley and in 2007, for my work with inspiring women in Bexley.”