On Monday 9th June 2025, we hosted a hybrid event at our London HQ to celebrate the winners of the Stelios Foundation Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs 2025.
The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation is also donating £50k to Leonard Cheshire directly to help with the running of this year’ awards. Marcus Missen, Executive Director Advocacy, Partnership and Impact at Leonard Cheshire said: “We are proud to have been working with Sir Stelios and the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation since 2007. Each year, it is fantastic to see the creativity, drive, and talent of disabled entrepreneurs that these Awards spotlight and celebrate. Disabled entrepreneurs too often face additional barriers to success, which is why opportunities like this, and appropriate support for disabled people, are so important, and make a big difference.”
This year’s overall winner has been announced as Umbreen David, of Hoama Group Ltd. Umbreen, who has muscular dystrophy, owns and runs Iden Manor Nursing Home in Kent. She is a passionate and determined disabled entrepreneur, who takes immense pride in improving the lives of her residents and creating a supportive, fulfilling workplace for her dedicated staff team.
Second place winner, Michelle Philipps, runs an award-winning bakery business with cafés in Edinburgh and an online shop selling cakes to the whole of the UK. When she started Mimi’s Bakehouse in 2010, Michelle already had symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and she has since faced increasing challenges with her mobility. In 2024, she was appointed President of the Scottish Bakers Association.
This year’s third prize winner is Paul Woods, of Proactive Despatch. Paul established the business in 2008 to provide fast, effective, and reliable same day courier services to a range of businesses and industries, mainly in the northwest of England.
The awards are run in partnership with the leading disability charity Leonard Cheshire. Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou unveiled the winners of the Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs via Zoom at the hybrid awards ceremony at the London HQ of the Stelios foundation at 34 Thurloe Square on Monday 9 June 2025 hosted by the https://stelios.foundation/. The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation received a record-breaking 125 applications for this year’s Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs, the highest number in the award’s history. The awards celebrate and support entrepreneurs with disabilities from across the UK.
For media enquiries please contact Lucy Thomas of Tavistock at lucy.thomas@tavistock.co.uk. For Leonard Cheshire by email onpress.office@leonardcheshire.org supporting individuals to live and work as independently as they choose, whatever their ability. Led by people with experience of disability, we open doors to opportunity, choice, and support for disabled people across the UK. Visit: www.leonardcheshire.org or follow us on twitter: @leonardcheshire. The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation is a registered UK charity, www.stelios.foundation.