Entrepreneur and PR guru Sara Tye has been shortlisted for Female Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the 2017 South West Business and Community Awards.

The nominations will be judged by an independent panel of influential entrepreneurs, business leaders and charity ambassadors from across the UK. These awards recognise businesses, charities and individuals that have made an outstanding contribution in the region.

Alec Jones Hall, director of Great British Expos - the national leader in business exhibitions - said: “South West Business Awards are in true recognition of excellence and achievement. When you work and contribute to business or charity, we believe you should be applauded and recognised - hard work takes commitment and the candidates nominated and awarded have done just that. They have worked hard to achieve their best.”

Sara is a mentor to many business people, providing advice, guidance and growth strategies. Some companies that have benefited from this have increased their revenue by a staggering 50%.

Before founding her current ventures including redheadPR, Sara headed up communications at Yellow Pages, developed stakeholder relations in-house at Thames Water Utilities and was the personal PR agent for The Body Shop’s founder, the late Dame Anita Roddick.

In 2008, Sara moved redheadPR to her hometown, Swindon from Covent Garden, London. redheadPR is a blue-chip public relations consultancy with a highly impressive client portfolio.

Sara's other awards and accolades include reaching the finals of the first Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Awards in 1999, winning the Wiltshire Business Person of the Month Award 2015 and being shortlisted in the First Women in Media category in the First Women Awards 2016. Sara’s Make Your Mark for a Tenner campaign was commended for being one of the CIPR’s best sustainable PR programmes.

A keen sports woman, Sara recently became the Chair of Swindon Triathlon Club and is the CEO of luxury cycling and skiing company. The Etape Suisse events have been attended by international athletes such as Tour de France winner Cadel Evens and cricket legend Michael Vaughan.

On being nominated for the award, Sara said: "I’m absolutely honoured to receive recognition from my peers in the south west. I’m is looking forward to the ceremony, and wish all the nominees the best of luck."

The winners will be announced at a evening dinner awards ceremony on 18 January 2018 at The DoubleTree by Hilton, Swindon.