Pictured above: Training and development specialist,
Patricia Cresswell, of Wheaton Aston, who has been shortlisted for
a Women on their Way award
A Staffordshire trainer who has helped thousands of women in
their careers and personal development has been short-listed for a
prestigious award recognising the impact of women in business.
Patricia Cresswell, from Wheaton Aston, has been running her own
training and development company, Patricia Cresswell and Associates
Ltd, for more than 15 years, working with business people from
across the private and public sectors, and at all levels.
Mrs Cresswell, who has worked with National Grid, Britannia
(part of the Co-operative Financial Services), Staffordshire
Police, University of Birmingham and the Environment Agency,
delivers a range of training and development programmes, including
Springboard, which is specifically for women.
This award-winning programme is used around the world, and
designed to help women reach their full potential in all aspects of
their life. Patricia has delivered more than 100 such programmes,
to more than 2,500 women.
She is one of just a handful of people in the UK licensed to
train people as Springboard trainers, and has worked in Poland,
helping to establish trainers there.
She is a finalist in the Women on their Way Awards, set up by
Apprentice candidate, Jo Cameron, and her co-director, Lisa
Ibbotson, to help showcase the wealth of talented women across the
UK.
Mrs Cresswell is shortlisted for the Outstanding Contribution to
Women's Learning and Development award, which is one of 12
categories being judged, by amongst others, Gill Fielding and
Caroline Marsh, from Channel Four's Secret Millionaire.
"I work with men and women, from all manner of different
organisations, functioning at all levels within those businesses,
but my focus is always the same - people," Mrs Cresswell
explained.
"I am passionate about helping women feel they are taking more
control of their lives and increasing their personal effectiveness
by believing in themselves, and what they are capable of.
"I am thrilled to be a finalist for this particular award - I
work a great deal with the Springboard programme, aimed
specifically at raising the potential of women, and feel honoured
to be part of the Wow event, which is helping to highlight
fantastic things women are achieving."
Mrs Cresswell will find out if she has won at the Women on Their
Way Annual Awards lunch on Friday, March 19, at Aston Villa's
ground in Birmingham.
Jo Cameron, from Women on their Way, said the nominations for
this year's awards had been of an extremely high standard, and she
has been blown away by the number of inspirational women she has
come across as a result of the awards.
She said; "We are delighted that Patricia has been shortlisted.
There are so many amazing women in the UK who don't always
recognise the impact they have made and it is my absolute privilege
to be inspired by so many incredible women."