Claire Cook, Founder and Proprietor, has been named a finalist in the ‘Person with Purpose’ category at the 2026 Northern PoWEr Women Awards.
About Claire Cook
Claire has been recognised for the impact of her leadership in Employability Solutions. Based in Liverpool, with her business across Merseyside and Kirklees, Claire has made a significant impact through her leadership, contributing to progress in alternative education.
Employability Solutions has supported over 2,000 young people and helped them achieve more than 8,000 qualifications, providing safe, creative spaces where students can access mental health support, vocational training, and opportunities to thrive. Claire’s leadership goes beyond creating outstanding schools; she fosters collaboration with like-minded partners to reduce duplication, make better use of resources, and increase the quality of opportunities available to young people.
‘What makes Claire remarkable is not only the measurable outcomes she achieves but the authenticity and compassion with which she leads. She is dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities, creating inclusive pathways to success and empowering young people to achieve their goals.’
– Paul Kallee-Grover MBE, who kindly nominated Claire for this award.
‘This recognition isn’t really about me. It’s about the children and families whose lives are changed through inclusive education, and about the phenomenal team I have the privilege of leading.’
– Claire Cook on being named a finalist for this award.
About the Northern PoWEr Women Awards
On Thursday, 12 March 2026, the Northern PoWEr Women Awards will bring together over 1,000 influential leaders, organisations, entrepreneurs, changemakers and advocates from across the North to mark its milestone tenth year. Taking place in the week of International Women’s Day, Europe’s largest celebration of gender equality will shine a spotlight on the role models driving progress and building a fairer, more inclusive future.
This year’s finalists represent the full breadth of the North’s talent across business, technology, health, education, construction, professional services, manufacturing and the third sector. From frontline emergency services and grassroots community organisations to senior leaders shaping rail, infrastructure, health, technology and professional services, the 2026 entries reflect the scale, diversity and ambition of those creating change. Now more than 120,000 strong, this community is driving down barriers, opening doors to opportunity, and converting inclusive leadership from aspiration into practice.
The Northern PoWEr Women Awards marks a decade of championing gender equality and inclusive leadership, convening a powerful cross-sector network across the North West, Yorkshire, North East and North Wales. This growing movement has helped accelerate cultural change, strengthen diverse talent pipelines and position the North as a national leader in equity, inclusion and social impact – while celebrating the achievements of the role models, allies and organisations reshaping workplaces, communities and industries.
Simone Roche MBE, Founder and CEO of We Are PoWEr, said:
“Reaching our tenth year is a powerful moment for the Northern PoWEr Women Awards. What began as a bold idea has become a movement that shines a light on those who are not only achieving success but actively using their influence to open doors for others. The 2026 finalists reflect the very best of the North – courageous leaders, committed allies and organisations driving real, measurable change.”
The Awards continue to recognise both individual excellence and organisational leadership, celebrating future talent, established leaders, advocates and partners embedding equity and inclusion into strategy, culture and everyday practice. Finalists were selected from a highly competitive field through a rigorous judging process focused on demonstrable impact, leadership, innovation and long-term commitment to advancing equality and opportunity.
A full list of finalists across all categories can be viewed here.
Winners will be announced at the 2026 Northern PoWEr Women Awards ceremony, bringing together finalists, partners, supporters and advocates to celebrate ten years of progress and look ahead to the next chapter of collective impact.
2026 partners include co-headline partners Bank of America and Barclays, Future List Game Changer partner AstraZeneca alongside category partners Arcadis, Asda Property and Construction, BT Group, Connected Places Catapult, Gleeds, KTSL, LNER, Manchester Airports Group and Weightmans.
For more information on the NPW Awards, visit their website here.
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