Alexis Bowater 

The West Country Women Awards take a unique approach to celebrating women. They acknowledge the accomplishments of women from all walks of life, but also recognise the challenges they face. This includes issues like violence against women and girls. The belief behind the awards is that by recognising and celebrating women's achievements, they become less likely to be denigrated.

Alexis Bowater, co-founder of the awards, goes a step further. She argues that celebrating women isn't just about social good, it's good for business too. When women feel safe, comfortable, and happy at work, they are more productive. This translates to a stronger economic bottom line for businesses. Alexis emphasises the positive impact the awards have on women at every level.

But for Alexis, the most important aspect is giving women a platform to be heard. Her background as a journalist informs this perspective. She believes that just like a journalist should not be the story, the awards should not be about themselves. Their purpose is to amplify the voices of women and allow their stories to be heard. When these stories are heard, the public can form their own informed opinions about the prominent issues that matter to women.