Inspirational women from across the district and beyond have been recognised in an annual awards ceremony.

#SheInspires, which shine a light on women who lift up and inspire us, has crowned its Face of #SheInspires for 2021.

The awards, which are in its fourth year, celebrated women throughout the month, closing with a virtual ceremony.

Although a Herts-based initiative, the awards celebrate women both on our home soil and further afield. Of the 14 women honoured, eight hail from the district.

Mum of two and care home manager Amber Seabrook was presented with the highest award at the virtual celebration highlighted for her 'Expression not Aggression' dementia campaign.

%image(15484649, type="article-full", alt="Amber Seabrook was crowned the Face of SheInspires 2021 for her "Expression not Aggression” dementia campaign")

Amber was nominated by Clare Childs, whose mother resides at the dementia care home Amber manages. She noted that Amber personally constantly goes way beyond the call of duty, even out of her working hours, on top of managing a large team of carers that ensures that all 28 residents are looked after by dementia specialist nurses and carers and treats them all like family.

Clare said: "She’s an angel who has come into our lives at a very difficult time, treated our mother like she was hers, and gone way beyond what anyone would expect.

"She gave up Christmas Day with her family to make a Christmas for the residents - she‘s just amazing. Working in a care home during a pandemic is one of the most stressful times of her working life, yet she smiles, she looks after them, and us. She‘s just so inspirational!"

Harpenden-based photographer and organiser of the awards, Penny Bird, congratulated Amber on her success: “Amber's kindness and caring shines exceptionally bright and warm on everyone in her life.

"She is also the voice for dementia patients, campaigning for more positive language use around the condition, and raising the profile of care homes which have been largely forgotten. She is hugely inspiring and I’m looking forward to working with her over the next few months to support her initiative with my photography."

Along with Amber, 13 other women were celebrated throughout the awards ceremony, titled ‘An Evening of Inspiration’.

Recipients included five Harpenden-based nominees and three with ties to St Albans.

They included Vladi Kuna, who was honoured for her work with Harpenden Spotlight on Africa, Zumba instructor Jen Papple, Louise Condon of Jump N Juice Fitness, nutritional therapist Sandra Greenbank and Kate Novak, owner of Feeding Time and chair of Roundwood Primary School PTA.

Breaking Ballet's Sarah Aspinall, Carla Ryan-Griffiths from Herts county council and actress Sarah Priddy all have ties to St Albans.

Penny hopes to host an outdoor exhibition featuring all the SheInspires Award winners in the summer to showcase their contribution to the community.

“These women all have incredible stories to tell and I learned a great deal from each of them which I summed up during the awards evening," Penny said. "The evening was tremendously uplifting!"