Inverness mental heath charity Mikeysline a double winner at the Highland Business Women Awards
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Mental health charity Mikeysline is not just Highland Business Women’s (HBW) charity of 2021, it was also a double winner at the networking group’s annual awards.
Founded in Inverness in 2015 to help reduce the risk of suicide and challenge attitudes to mental health, Mikeysline was named both best third sector organisation of the year and winner of the special business resilience award, introduced this year to recognise the way north organisations have risen to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Capping its awards’ success, the online audience at the virtual event raised £511 to help Mikeysline to continue its work in the community.
Announcing the second of the charity’s awards, host Nicky Marr quoted one of the judges who described Mikeysline as “a shining star in a world where there appears to be only darkness”.
Thanking the judges, service manager Emily Stokes said: “These two awards will really give us a huge boost. They will give us the energy to go ahead and continue what we do.”
Last year’s HBW charity of the year, traditional arts organisation Fèis Rois, was also a winner, despite being pipped to the third sector title by Mikeysline. The Dingwall-based group was awarded the digital innovation trophy after moving its tutorial service and May festival online in response to the pandemic.
New business winner Jenny Whyte was also recognised for her response to the challenges of the pandemic.
Initially working from her kitchen, she created Grazey Days to deliver breakfasts, afternoon teas and other tasty treats to customers in the Inverness area.
She now has two employees and is preparing to move into dedicated premises of her own.
When the pandemic halted her business, Inverness photographer Alison Gilbert, who trade as Alison White Photography launched her #FrontStepsProject, photographing members of the community to document a unique time and help people feel a little less isolated, with those she photographed encouraged to make a donation for MFR’s Cash for Kids Appeal.
Other photographers followed her example, eventually raising £8000 for the charity.
The team of the year award went to Meallmore Lodge Care Home at Daviot.
The evening’s other double winner was Joanna Mackenzie, from Bettyhill, who was named woman of inspiration and also most enterprising business winner for her joint businesses The Store Café and the Clean Bees cleaning agency.
She now goes on to represent the Highlands in the national ASB (Association of Scottish Businesswomen) Awards.
The Highland businesswoman of the year title went to Jennifer Macdonald-Nethercott from Grantown.
Not only had her marketing agency Strath Communications managed to increase its revenue during the pandemic, Mrs Marr revealed she also launched a second business, Wilder Waves, creating clothing made from organic cotton and recycled materials, with a donation from every sale going to marine environmental charity Ocean Generation to help educate people about caring for the oceans.
2021 Highland Business Women Awards
New business of the year, sponsored by Business Gateway: Grazy Days, Inverness.
Most enterprising business, sponsored by Tulloch Homes: The Store Café and Clean Bees, Bettyhill.
Excellence in community engagement, sponsored by BAM Nuttall: Alison White Photography, Inverness.
Business woman of the year, sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise: Jennifer Macdonald-Nethercott, Strath Communications/Wilder Waves, Grantown.
Team of the year, sponsored by Springfield Properties: Meallmore Ltd, Daviot.
Best third sector, sponsored by Equiom: Mikeysline, Inverness.
Digital innovation, sponsored by City Fibre: Fèis Rois, Dingwall.
Business resilience, sponsored by DYW Inverness and Central Highland: Mikeysline, Inverness
Woman of inspiration, sponsored by Port of Cromarty Firth: Joanna Mackenzie, The Store Café and Clean Bees, Bettyhill.
