Manchester mother-of-two-turned entrepreneur Anne Crook has been nominated for a national business award for her fitness firm, Fit Women.
Launched last July, it provides outdoor classes aimed at mums and busy women who may otherwise find it difficult to fit exercise into their day.
Mrs Crook, 34, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the start-up category of the National Women on Their Way Awards, which aim to connect businesswomen across the UK, to inspire them and to increase their self-belief.
She tells People: "It's incredible to be nominated. I wasn't expecting it as there are so many amazing candidates, plus my business has only been going for seven months."
A former financial researcher, Mrs Crook decided to retrain as a personal trainer after her first child was born. She became a children's fitness coach, specialising as a post-natal workout instructor. She says: "I am hoping to expand Fit Women, with the introduction of new weekday morning classes to suit school-run mums." She envisages that Fit Women could be franchised, with classes set up nationally. It is currently based in Manchester. The awards take place next Friday at Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham.
A member of Cheshire Reform Congregation, Mrs Crook grew up in Wembley Park, Middlesex, and went to JFS.
