A LEADING Winchester business woman has been given a prestigious award.

Catherine Turness, who is the executive director of Winchester Business Improvement District, (Winchester BID) won the ‘Rising Star’ award at the Women in Business Awards evening.

This award was open to women who had not only already made a mark as women in business to some extent, but are also ‘women to watch’ in terms of future contribution.

The awards were hosted The Business Magazine based in Reading.

The 30-year-old who has been part of BID in Winchester for five years and has been chief executive for one year, said she was “overwhelmed” when her name was read out.

Catherine said: “It still has not sunk in to be honest, this award in particular I came runner up in last year.

“It is a humbling achievement. I am really honoured to receive the award.

"I have been with the Bid for five years and in my current post for a year and it is about building on that and building partnerships and relationships.

“I am here to make a difference in Winchester with my team and I am really really delighted.

“For me it is about inspiring my team in and one of my colleagues has entered an award herself in the last month and it gives people the confidence to believe in themselves.”

As well as leading the BID she also heads up her own not-for-profit events management company The Madders Hatters Present, which raised nearly £10,000 for The British Heart Foundation in December.