ENTREPRENEUR Ann-Maree Morrison has been given a top award for her work in encouraging and empowering other women in the business world.

Mrs Morrison and fellow members of BAWE Scotland (the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs) are celebrating after she was named Connector of the Year at the Scottish Women in Business Awards 2017.

The honour comes as Stirling's Mrs Morrison, who is chairwoman of BAWE Scotland, and the association’s committee are seeking more entrepreneurs to join the network which aims to support, promote and challenge its members.

She said: “I was delighted to win this award which recognises women who make connections between people, who understand what each person is looking to achieve or can offer and are able to build bridges between them.

“I’m particularly proud to receive it because it very much reflects the work we do within BAWE and what I have been trying to achieve as chairwoman for the past three years.

“Our aim is to connect leading businesswomen with each other and with other business groups which are relevant to them so everyone can work together and encourage and empower each other.”

Mrs Morrison runs award-winning Stirling firm Labels4Kids, an e-commerce retailer for personalised name labels and gifts, and is also an honorary professor and board member of the School of Management at the University of Stirling.

She attended the Scottish Women in Business’s (SWIB) first Celebrating Women Awards event, which was held to mark the organisation’s 25th birthday, in Glasgow with a group of fellow BAWE members.

They included Fiona Macdiarmid, director of Cellfield Reading Matters and Kip McGrath Education Centre in Stirling, Tanya Hine OBE who is BAWE treasurer, Jane Nelson of Stirling-based Jane Nelson Interiors and Karen Somerville – founder of Bridge of Allan giftware firm Angels’ Share Glass.

Mrs Somerville said: “It was fantastic to see Ann-Maree rewarded for the hard work she puts into BAWE Scotland with the Connector of the Year Award.

“I joined the network a couple of years ago and it has been a big help to me while I have been growing my company.

“The mentorship and support offered is extremely helpful and really in a class of its own.

“I know that if a problem or issue arises with my business there will be someone I can turn to, who has already experienced something similar, for advice and support.”

BAWE Scotland was formed in 1995 after female business leaders decided it was time to establish a Scottish branch of the long-running national organisation with international links.

Meetings take place four to six times a year and the organisation is keen to expand its membership among women who are running companies in Scotland.

Mrs Morrison added: “The difference between us and other women-led business groups is that we are the only organisation in Europe specifically for female entrepreneurs and we are looking for people who are interested in joint mentoring.

“We are also very much focused on support and discussion of topical business matters and take a leadership role on issues relating to women in business at local, national and international level.

“Entrepreneurs can be members of BAWE Scotland in addition to being part of other groups, such as SWIB, and they can be from any type of Scottish business including women at managing director-level in charitable and corporate organisations.”

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about BAWE should visit the website bawe-scotland.org and can email Mrs Morrison via info@bawe-Scotland.org for further details.