Press releases
AVON and Women's Aid honour brave and inspirational domestic violence survivors
Fri, 15th Jul 11
On Thursday 14 July, Avon Cosmetics and national domestic violence charity Women’s Aid honoured the incredible achievements of some of the UK’s most inspirational women at the Avon and Women’s Aid Empowering Women Awards 2011.
The star-studded ceremony, held at the iconic Claridge’s Hotel in Mayfair, London, was attended by a host of celebrity supporters including Sarah Brown, Alesha Dixon and Charlie Webster, who all presented awards to this year’s winners.
The annual Avon and Women’s Aid Empowering Women Awards, now in their second year, recognise the bravery and the achievements of women survivors of domestic violence and those who work tirelessly to support those affected by abuse. The ceremony saw the introduction of a new award, Child Survivor of the Year, which joins the three existing categories: Woman Survivor of the Year, Grass Roots Hero and Marie Claire Campaigner Against Domestic Violence.
This year’s inspirational winners were initially nominated by the public before being selected by a judging panel of leading women including Alesha Dixon, Sarah Brown, TV presenter and child survivor of domestic violence Charlie Webster, senior vice president of Avon WEMEA Anna Segatti, Women’s Aid chief executive Nicola Harwin, CBE and Marie Claire editor Trish Halpin.
Avon and Women’s Aid Empowering Women Award Winners
Child Survivor of the Year
Presented to Alec Hopkins by judge Alesha Dixon and long-time supporter of Women’s Aid and Empowering Women Awards.
When he was 14 Alec stayed in a refuge for a year after fleeing his family home with his mother and sisters, who all suffered physical, mental and emotional abuse at the hands of his step-father. Channeling his traumatic childhood experience into his passion for drama, Alec has since written and directed a film on domestic violence to highlight the impact it has on young people.
Woman Survivor of the Year
Presented to Sadi Khan by Women’s Aid patron Sarah Brown and Nicola Harwin, chief executive of Women’s Aid.
Sadi, a British born Kashmiri, suffered psychological and physical abuse for five years following her arranged marriage at the age of 19. She found the courage to divorce her husband and is now a strong, independent, business woman with a daughter aged ten, who nominated her for this award.
Marie Claire Campaigner Against Domestic Violence Presented to Dickie Chester-James by Fionna Mactaggart, MP and editor of Marie Claire magazine Trish Halpin.
A domestic violence survivor and current chief executive of Staffordshire’s Women’s Aid, Dickie has shown unfaltering commitment and relentless campaigning for the cause over the past 20 years. Her dedication has seen her help thousands of women in the Staffordshire area.
Grass Roots Hero
Presented to Val Corbett by Avon’s National Sales Director, Angela Tucker, and actress Fay Ripley.
Inspired by her own experience of domestic violence, Val founded Dacorum Women’s Aid in 1975 - the first refuge for women and children fleeing from abuse and domestic violence. Val has worked tirelessly, completely unpaid, for over 36 years to help break down barriers around domestic abuse in her local community so that fewer women and children suffer.
Anna Segatti, senior vice president of Avon WEMEA says: "As Avon celebrates 125 years of empowering women, we’re proud to be recognising some of today’s most inspirational and brave women in the UK. Through our ongoing work with Women’s Aid we are committed to helping end violence against women. These awards play an important part in our continuing mission to break down the silence that surrounds the ugly issue of domestic abuse."
Nicola Harwin CBE, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, said: "One in four women suffers from domestic abuse during her lifetime and two women are killed each week by a violent current or former partner. Women’s Aid and Avon are proud that for the second year these awards are making sure that the experiences of survivors and those who help them are brought into the spotlight so that those who are suffering in silence right now can find a way out."
- ENDS -
For more information and high res images contact:
Cat O’Donnell
Rain Communications UK
Carley Sparrow
Avon
Tel: 020 7828 0118
Tel: 01604 618 014
Email: cat@raincommunications.co.uk
alison@raincommunications.co.uk
Email: carley.sparrow@avon.com
Notes to Editors:
About Avon
This year, Avon Products, Inc. celebrates 125 years of empowering women around the globe.
As the world's leading direct seller of beauty and related products, Avon now operates in over 100 countries with over $10 billion in annual revenues. More than 6.5 million Independent sales Representatives take advantage of Avon’s earnings opportunity to gain financial empowerment.
Avon now reaches one in three women in the UK, with six million women seeing an Avon brochure every three weeks. In 2010, ‘Avon Connects’ launched in the UK, offering Independent Avon Representatives and customers the opportunity to connect through a unique, online, social media platform.
Avon Philanthropy
As the company for women, Avon is committed to supporting the causes that matter most to women – breast cancer and domestic violence. Avon has raised over $800 million to date as the world’s largest supporter of women’s causes.
In 1992, Avon UK launched its Breast Cancer Crusade which has so far raised over £15 million for charities including Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Macmillan Cancer Support and Crazy Hats Breast Cancer Appeal.
Avon UK has also donated over £500,000 to its domestic violence charity partners Refuge, Women’s Aid and UNIFEM, to help end violence against women.
More information about Avon UK can be found at
Contact the Avon UK press office on uk.press.office@avon.com
Information about Women's Aid
Women's Aid is the national domestic violence charity that co-ordinates and supports an England-wide network of over 500 local services working to end domestic violence against women and children. Keeping the voices of survivors at the heart of its work, Women's Aid campaigns for better legal protection and services, providing a strategic "expert view" to government on laws, policy and practice affecting abused women and children. In partnership with its national network, Women's Aid runs public awareness and education campaigns, bringing together national and local action, and developing new training and resources. Women's Aid provides a package of vital 24 hour lifeline services through its publications (available in 11 languages including English) and websites.
