A VERY well-known Barrow woman in the Cumbrian business community has been nominated for a prestigious award for supporting women in male dominated industries.

Jayne Moorby, marketing manager at Oxley, in Ulverston, has been nominated for the EVA award for supporting female entrepreneurship and encouraging diversity.

Through her efforts in the defence industry, as well as her numerous business ventures in Cumbria, Jayne has been praised by the community.

She said: "It was a very humbling thing to find out. I thought it was great.

"I don't know who nominated me yet because it was done anonymously, although I have my suspicions.

"I'm currently involved in a lot of projects so it could be any number of people.

"I've heard of EVA before but never been involved with them until now, but they were always on my radar.

"I found out through email and I found the reason was for supporting female entrepreneurship and encouraging diversity for the defence sector.

"I'm grateful that someone thought I deserved the nomination. It means so much.

"We're still working with the food banks and a few other things.

"For me women in the defence sector is a big project that I've always wanted to make progress in.

"We run a lot of schemes in supporting young people in the defence sector and mentoring them toward the careers they want to be in.

"My philosophy in all this is 'you can't be what you can't see'.

"If young women aren't seeing other female role models in the industry they want to enter into then they won't become those role models themselves for future generations. I'm really hopeful we can help with that.

"It's really rewarding work and we're trying to tie it in together with different careers.

"I don't know who nominated me but the awards are announced this September, I suspect sometime over the summer.

"To whoever nominated me I am very humbled and grateful for this lovely treat.

"I feel privileged and I hope to live up to the standard the award reflects."