EVENTS
Posthumous accolade - Julie Donaldson with husband John Proudler at the inaugural Businesswomen Awards in 2018 .
Zoe Lewis of Northern Skills Group with John Proudler .
Awards sponsor signs up for fourth year
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD : JULIE DONALDSON
A
memorable Tees Businesswomen Awards was rounded-off with the presentation of an Outstanding Contribution award .
This year the accolade was awarded posthumously to muchloved Zetland FM presenter Julie Donaldson , who tragically lost her life to Covid-19 just weeks after her wedding day .
Julie , a presenter on Redcar-based radio station Zetland FM , died in hospital in October , having been put on a ventilator a couple of weeks after being admitted to hospital .
She was a finalist in the Inspiring Others category in the first Tees Businesswomen Awards in 2018 .
Julie , 50 , also won a Gold Award as Female Presenter of the Year in the 2018 Community Radio Awards and was shortlisted for the Best Local Radio Show in the Radio Academy ARIAS the same year .
Accepting the award from Zoe Lewis of headline sponsors Northern Skills Group was Julie ’ s husband John Proudler , who was visibly moved to receive the honour on behalf of his late wife .
“ Julie was just wonderful ,” John said . “ I miss her terribly , every single moment of every single day .
“ What drove Julie was her compassion for people . She really loved to know what made them tick . I ’ m only beginning now to discover all the wonderful things she did for people and for the community that she so deeply cared about .”
Joining John and Zoe to pay tribute to Julie were friends Kirsten Donkin of PD Ports and Zetland FM station manager Jeremy Gartland .
“ Julie was such an incredible person ,” said Jeremy . “ She was so talented in every aspect and as a person she was just lovely . We miss her so much .”
Kirsten , who got to know Julie through her support of local charity , the High Tide Foundation , said : “ Once you met Julie , you never forgot her . She had this natural ability that she didn ’ t recognise herself to bring people together .”
Zoe Lewis concluded : “ It ’ s very clear that Julie touched so many lives with her energy , her commitment , her ambassadorial work and her humility .
“ On behalf of businesswomen across the Tees region , we felt that it was so important to recognise Julie ’ s outstanding contribution and I don ’ t think that there ’ s ever been a more fitting way to do so .”
Northern Skills Group , the training and apprenticeships arm of Middlesbrough College , has agreed to sponsor the Tees Businesswomen Awards for a fourth successive year in 2021 . The group offers apprenticeships in a range of disciplines including accountancy , dentistry , advanced manufacturing , digital specialisms and management , while also offering a myriad of courses for those in employment .
Asked why Northern Skills Group sponsors the awards , CEO and principal Zoe Lewis said : “ There are so many benefits to the Tees Businesswomen Awards . They not only recognise familiar local talent that ’ s been at the forefront of business for some time , but also recognises and shines the spotlight on hidden talent that ’ s not so familiar to us , including young entrepreneurs and those coming through the ranks .
“ Every year through these awards we learn about so many great things , driven by women , that are going on across the Tees region . Perhaps most importantly , the awards provide inspiration and motivation to young people coming through who will look at the nominees and winners and will hopefully be thinking ‘ That could be me ’. As a result , they ’ ll be motivated to follow their dreams and will stay local to support our businesses . Ultimately , awards such as these are about getting people out of their comfort zone – what I call expanding your spring .
“ Well done to all winners and finalists on their achievements . Northern Skills Group looks forward to sponsoring the Tees Businesswomen Awards again in 2021 , our fourth year as headline sponsors .”
28 | Tees Business