INSPIRING OTHERS
Sponsored by PD Ports
WINNER : ANNALICE ARGYLE ( TRAC UK )
It was an emotional Annalice Argyle who was crowned the winner of the Inspiring Others award .
“ I was so overwhelmed that I didn ’ t stop crying for days ,” said Annalice , founder of TRAC UK , a Middlesbroughbased organisation dedicated to helping women overcome addiction .
Annalice formed the charity in 2015 after overcoming her own fight with drug and alcohol abuse , homelessness and domestic violence , working tirelessly on her own recovery and supporting others with theirs .
She is also director of Lobster Recovery , the sustainable arm of TRAC , which develops housing and training programmes , while she runs an online hub with 4,300 members worldwide .
“ I ’ m not used to the attention and part of me still wonders why I won over incredible people like Jane and Paula ,” said Annalice .
“ I ’ ve never done anything for ego , but I ’ m just so thrilled that my accomplishments so far have been acknowledged at an event as important as the Tees Businesswomen Awards .
“ Talking about my story has to be done to raise awareness of addiction , even though it can bring back some bad memories ,” she admits .
It certainly wasn ’ t bad memories on awards night , however , as Annnalice unselfishly accepted her award on behalf of all women who are following their own journey to being clean and sober .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
Professor Jane Turner OBE DL ( Teesside University )
As pro vice-chancellor for enterprise and business engagement at Teesside University , Jane leads on student employability , the growth of the apprenticeships portfolio , local business support and knowledge transfer initiatives . She is also the university ’ s gender equality and diversity champion .
Dedicated to improving the lives of the people in the North-East , Jane is a board member of the South Tees Development Corporation , a member of the CBI North East regional committee and a regional advisor for the Common Purpose charity .
Jane is living with very late-stage 4A ovarian cancer and , as ambassador for Target Ovarian Cancer , encourages other women to be aware of the symptoms of this often silent disease .
Paula McMahon
PD Ports ' Kirsten Donkin presented Annalice Argyle with the Inspiring Others award .
Regional supervising officer at Sir Robert McAlpine , Paula is a Northern Power Woman and a leading light in engineering . Championing other women in the sector , she also works in partnership with Women in Engineering , giving females the inspiration and courage to progress .
Paula sits on many boards and her enthusiasm is infectious . From writing STEM books for children to her amazing charity work , she is a force to be reckoned with .
Her passion and love of the Tees Valley is apparent and her engineering legacy shines from her work and the support she gives to others .
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
Kirsten Donkin , head of PR , marketing and communications at PD Ports , said : “ It was an honour to sponsor the Inspiring Others category . The evening itself was a true celebration of the huge levels of talent and inspiring role models we have within our region , notwithstanding their amazing contributions to the business community on Teesside .
“ The Inspiring Others category celebrated those who go above and beyond for their local communities ,
using their own experiences to guide , inspire and support society . The finalists were all exceptional , and their contribution to our community cannot be underestimated .
“ The winner , Annalice Argyle , truly deserved the recognition . The obstacles she has overcome in her life and how she uses those experiences to drive her charity forward is nothing short of inspiring to each and every one of us .”
36 | Tees Business