First Among Women

Dame Mary Perkins has been awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the First Women Awards in London last week.

The judges praised Dame Mary for her business acumen, her charitable work and her ability to juggle family and professional commitments.

The award was collected on her behalf by her daughter Julie as Dame Mary is currently working in Australia with husband Doug.

Accepting the trophy Julie said her mother had brought a woman's touch to the business and had been a great encouragement to other women as a pioneer in a male industry.