2026 Finalist – Kate Blakemore
Kate Blakemore is a passionate community leader, advocate and changemaker dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing and opportunities of women and girls. As the founder and CEO of Her-Place Charitable Trust, she has spent more than a decade working to ensure that women, particularly those facing trauma, inequality or complex challenges have access to the support, resources and community they deserve.
Kate has built her work around a simple but powerful mission: to amplify women’s voices and create spaces where they can access specialist, non-clinical support in their communities.
Her commitment is deeply personal. After experiencing an ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage, she became increasingly aware of the gaps in mental health support available to women, especially those navigating trauma, abuse or significant life transitions. That experience strengthened her determination to create services designed by women, for women.
Under Kate’s leadership, Her-Place has become a vital resource across Cheshire, providing community-based programmes that empower women and girls and improve wellbeing at every stage of life. The organisation delivers a wide range of initiatives, including the Her-Place Library at its Crewe hub, which provides access to hundreds of titles focused on wellbeing and empowerment. It also runs Period Dignity Cheshire, a network of donation points that helps ensure people have access to essential period products, and Safe-HER Places, an initiative focused on raising awareness and tackling violence against women.
Alongside these initiatives, Her-Place leads several impactful campaigns. Programmes such as Active Her encourage women and girls to participate in physical activity, while Believe in Her supports mothers navigating social care systems. FlourishHer focuses on women’s mental and physical wellbeing, and Inspire Her works to reduce health inequalities and amplify young women’s voices. Community-focused projects like the Share Hub in Crewe and Winsford bring people together to share resources, promote sustainability and strengthen community connections.
The impact of this work is significant. In a single year, Her-Place delivered mental health support to hundreds of women and girls, provided nearly 1,000 hours of counselling and supported mothers experiencing perinatal depression.
The charity has also helped families stay together, with measurable social and economic outcomes. Its Social Return on Investment report estimates that every £1 invested in Her-Place generates £26 in social value and savings, demonstrating the powerful impact of community-based support.
Beyond her work with Her-Place, Kate is deeply involved in her community. She chairs two charitable organisations, including her local Scout group, and plays a leading role in the A Statue for Ada campaign, which celebrates the legacy of Crewe-born women’s rights pioneer Ada Nield Chew.
Kate is also an author and speaker. Her book, Mum’s the Word: The Mothering Journey, explores the realities and complexities of motherhood, reflecting her commitment to honest conversations about women’s lives and experiences.
Kate will be sharing her story at the 34th annual Inspiring Women Awards on 15th May 2026. Visit here for more information.