Telford businesswoman honoured for service to local community
A Telford businesswoman has been recognised for her fundraising efforts and her ‘great and valuable service to the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin community’.
Kim Gilmour, of Connect Marketing, a freelance consultant, received a High Sheriff’s Award in recognition of her annual Posh Frocks Charity Dinner, which has now raised over £42,000 for a variety of charities over the last 25+ years.
Kim recently joined volunteers and organisations at a ceremony at Telford’s Central Fire Station to receive her award from Jane Trowbridge, High Sheriff of Shropshire, along with Anna Turner, Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire.
Kim said: “I was truly honoured to be nominated for this award and to meet all the other volunteers who were recognised. What started as an annual dinner for the Shropshire Business Women’s Society (SBWS) in the 1990s has continued as a ‘Fun, Food and Fundraising Dinner’, attracting women of all ages and backgrounds, including many from my own business network.
“Each year we choose a different charity and raise funds from our Grand Hamper Raffle, along with match funding from banks or other organisations. Our fundraising is only made possible by all the amazing donations for the raffle and everyone who supports the event on the night.
Kim was also recognised for supporting women through business networking from the early days of the SBWS, to supporting Women in Rural Networking groups and starting her own, free, Coffee & Chat networking group just after Covid-19. Coffee & Chat aims to be an informal networking group where women in business can feel supported and celebrated. Kim also runs two Facebook Groups for businesswomen in Shropshire and Telford.
The next Posh Frocks Charity Dinner is on October 16 at Hadley Park House Hotel; the chosen charity is yet to be decided. Further information is available here, or by joining the group on Facebook.
