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JOINT MERSEYSIDE WOMEN OF THE YEAR
REVEALED - MIA AUSTIN & LAURA HUGHES
Organisers of the Merseyside Women of the Year 2019 have paid tribute
to the “truly inspirational” winner of the awards’ top prize, after she
tragically passed away before the ceremony
Mia Austin, 30, from Heswall, was posthumously named Merseyside
Woman of the Year 2019 and Inspirational Woman of the Year on Friday
28th June at the annual awards ceremony, which celebrates the region’s
unsung heroines.
Ahead of the awards presentation at the Crowne Plaza Liverpool City
Centre, Mia’s family asked that the ceremony be celebrated with its usual
joy, humour and enthusiasm. They also asked that Mia’s accolade be passed
on to the first runner up in the public vote for Merseyside Woman of the
Year, so that the it could be used to do good in the region.
After the winner’s announcement, two of Mia’s friends took to the stage to
accept the award on Mia’s behalf, before Collette McCann, from headline
sponsor Michael W Halsall Solicitors, returned to reveal the runner up as
Victoria Charlton and 2019 Joint Merseyside Woman of the Year, Laura
Hughes.
A spokesperson for Mia’s family said: “Mia would not want the other
finalists to be sad. She would want them to celebrate how wonderful and
inspirational they all are. She would also want to make sure the platform
that being Merseyside Woman of the Year provides would be used to do
good things in our region, which is why we are delighted to pass on that
mantle to Laura Hughes. Mia was so excited to be a finalist in the MWOTY
awards and she campaigned hard generate public votes. She wanted win so
she could raise more awareness about the issues close to her heart and to
extend her charity work. It is obviously a very sad time for us, but we are so
happy that she succeeded in her efforts and we wish Laura the very best of
luck in role as Joint Merseyside Woman of the Year.”
Mia’s life had been turned upside down when she had a stroke at the age
of 21. She was left with ‘Locked In Syndrome’, a medical condition that
damages part of the brainstem, paralysing the body and most of the facial
muscles. Despite having this life-changing condition, Mia refused to give
up and focused on living her life to the fullest, while also helping others.
28 wirrallife.com
She continued to travel and undertook lots of charity work, including
sleeping out on the streets of Liverpool to raise money and awareness of
homelessness. She even travelled to Africa to support communities, visit
orphanages and schools and deliver donations of stationery and toys.
Her story captured the admiration of the public when the shortlist was
announced, winning the public vote and title of Woman of the Year with
2,451 votes – the largest number of votes for one finalist in the event’s 16-
year history. The accolade of Merseyside Woman of the Year comes with
a year of support and guidance from the MWOTY network, including
membership to the Mayoral 100 Club, provided by the city’s Mayoral Club.
In line with Mia’s wishes, this opportunity will now be passed on to Laura
Hughes, anti-knife crime campaigner and the sister of Colin McGinty, who
was brutally stabbed to death in a shocking case of mistaken identity in
2001.
Collette McCann, from Michael W Halsall Solicitors, added: “Mia was
a truly inspirational young woman and a deserving winner of the title
‘Woman of the Year’. We were heartbroken to hear of her passing and
wish to extend our deepest sympathies to her family, friends and loved
ones. She did so much for so many people in her short life, despite the
enormous challenges that she has faced personally. We can all learn so
much from her strength, determination, courage and compassion. The
decision to pass opportunity on to Laura Hughes demonstrates clearly just
how much she embodies the MWOTY spirit. Laura’s work fundraising and
campaigning to stop young people carrying knives is vital and her passion
and determination is inspiring. We are sure that she will do Mia proud and
use the opportunity to make real change in Merseyside and beyond.”
The day was filled with tears, laughter and stories of the kindness, resilience
and determination of women across Merseyside, as the winners and
runners up of the 12 categories were announced.
The runner up was Victoria Charlton, owner of Complete Works dance
school, whose building was destroyed in the 2016 New Ferry blast. She was
recognized for selflessly focusing on the welfare of the children in her care
after the incident.