DESIGNER Vicky Callan fought off competition from all over the North-West to walk away with a prestigious trophy at the Enterprise Vision Awards.

Vicky has worked in soft furnishings and interior design in Rossendale for more than 20 years and two years ago decided to set up on her own.

At the female business award ceremony, in the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, she won the North West Networker of the Year award, beating seven other contenders who had been nominated by the Pink Link Ladies networking groups.

As well as being a regular at the Pink Link Ladies in Blackburn, Vicky also attends Ready to Network and is a member of Rossendale Business League and Valley at Work.

Vicky, 43, said: “I found out I had been nominated a couple of months ago and then people had to vote. On the night I had no idea if I would win then they announced ‘Vicky Callan Soft Furnishings’.

“I wanted to win and when I did I was really thrilled and pleased. I am so grateful to everyone who voted for me and I have received many messages of congratulations.

“It is so nice to be acknowledged for what I do as networking is a very big part of my business.

“It is important for all Rossendale businesses to work together and so if a client also needs carpets or a fireplace then I have places and tradesmen that I recommend.”

She is also a volunteer mentor with the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce where she is assisting a new business to get off the ground. She is a volunteer on the special events committee at Rossendale Hospice.

Vicky visits clients in their own home to assess what they require and advises them on a range of fabrics and furnishings.

She arranges manufacture using local home-workers and transforms the room before the ‘big reveal’ in front of the client.

“There is nothing more pleasing that seeing the expression on a client’s face when they see their room transformed and they say, ‘It is even better than I could have imagined,’” said Vicky.

The mother of two, from Newchurch, also fits in time to look after her three-year-old grandson Oliver.

Vicky added: “Working for myself has given me the opportunity to arrange my life around what I do. To me, it is not like a job because it is a passion for me.”

And Vicky was not the only successful Rossendale Business in the competition – Klair Lee from Love Umbrellas won the EVA for best online company.

Vicky has also been nominated for a Rossendale Business Award and the presentation will take place at The Riverside in Whitworth on Wednesday November 12.

Vicky can be contacted on vicky@vcsf.co.uk