FEMALE entrepreneurs from Basingstoke and surrounding areas have been recognised in the first staging of a county-wide awards scheme.

The businesses, which are all owned or run by women, have been nominated in various categories that acknowledge creativity, community, business enterprise and excellent service in the Hampshire Women’s Business Awards.

The awards are being organised by Trudy Simmons who runs the Hampshire Women’s Business Facebook group.

Businesses from Basingstoke are nominated for the following awards:

Phenomenal Product

-Granny Stitch & Friends

-Rabbit and the Rose

-Whiskey & Ginger

Super Service

-Victoria Hamilton Lifestyle

-Rachel Maslin Makeup

-Brief Marketing

Reach for the Stars

-Victoria Hamilton Lifestyle

Dream BIG Award

-Tot Cross Buns

Entrepreneurial Spirit

-Victoria Hamilton Lifestyle

The Hampshire Women's Business of the Year

-Victoria Hamilton Lifestyle

Les Jolies Choses

-Rachel Maslin Make Up

-The Fairy Clothes Mother

In total more than 100 businesses from around the county have been nominated across eight awards.

Trudy set up the Facebook group last year to provide business women across Hampshire a place to receive support and guidance to expand their businesses. In the last six months it has more than doubled its size to more than 2,300 members.

She said: “Women in business need to be celebrated. In general, women rarely shout about their successes, and I wanted to change that. I have been blown away by the number of votes that have been cast so far and I’m sure it will only increase.

"It just shows how many amazing business women we have across Hampshire and the amount of support and community there is among female entrepreneurs.”

The awards night, which is a sold out event, will take place on Saturday, 17 November 2018. People can cast their votes by October 14 at thedaisychaingroup.com/p/the-hampshire-women-s-business-awards-voting.