Home Instead Success at the EWiF Awards!

We are proud to announce that three members of the Home Instead team have been recognised as finalists in this year’s NatWest Encouraging Women in Franchising (EWiF) Awards. Adding to this outstanding achievement, Louise McLaughlin, owner of Home Instead Belfast, was awarded the prestigious title of ‘Young Woman in Franchising of the Year 2024’.

The EWiF Awards celebrate the incredible contributions of women in the franchise sector, and with over 48,000 franchise businesses in the UK employing more than 700,000 people, franchising is a key part of our economy. We’re proud to see so many women thriving in franchising, and even prouder that many of them are part of the Home Instead family. Our support helps franchisees build profitable businesses, and we hope the EWiF Awards inspire even more women to join us.

Winner Louise McLaughlin has been running Home Instead Belfast with her husband Roger for three years. Together, they’ve built a business with 40 Care Professionals who provide 1,440 hours of care each month to over 100 clients. Louise’s caring leadership includes a 24/7 helpline to support her team. The couple are now expanding their success with a new franchise: Home Instead Antrim, Ballymena, and Carrickfergus.

We’re also proud of Lesley Ballingall, Director of Operations for several Home Instead franchises in Scotland, who was nominated for ‘Woman Franchise Employee of the Year 2024.’ Lesley oversees 35,000 hours of care delivered across her franchises, employing over 500 Care Professionals. Her ‘Men in Care’ campaign has been a game-changer, encouraging more men to join the care sector and breaking gender stereotypes.

Sophie Mellor, owner of Home Instead Lytham, Fylde, and Wyre, was a finalist for ‘Woman Franchisee of the Year 2024.’ Over the past 12 years, Sophie has grown her business, acquired two more franchises, and now employs 165 Care Professionals caring for 195 clients. Balancing her role as a top business leader with raising three children, Sophie is a true inspiration to working parents everywhere.

Ruth Brown, COO of Home Instead UK, says: “I’m bursting with pride seeing three members of the Home Instead family recognised in this prestigious awards ceremony.”

“On behalf of everyone at Home Instead, I’d like to offer our congratulations to all of the nominees and winners. We hope that the EWiF Awards will inspire more women to follow in their footsteps, and I can’t wait to see what else the fabulous females of our sector will achieve.”

If you’re inspired by the success stories of Louise, Lesley, and Sophie, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with our team to start your journey with Home Instead today.