A WOMAN has been recognised for her outstanding courage.
Hayley Smith, from Halton, was named joint winner of the Women of Courage category at the Merseyside Women of the Year Awards 2026.
She was honoured for her work as founder of Northwest HIV Support CIC, a non-clinical, voluntary-led organisation supporting people affected by HIV and tackling stigma through education and advocacy.
Ms Smith, who draws on her own lived experience, has created a safe and inclusive space focused on emotional support, peer connection and public awareness.
Her work challenges misconceptions around HIV and promotes dignity and understanding.
She shared the award, sponsored by Auteur Media, with Leanne Lucas, survivor of the 2024 Southport attack and founder of Let’s Be Blunt CIC.
Ms Lucas has used her experience to influence national discussions on prevention, education and safety, with a focus on reducing knife harm through early intervention and trauma-informed approaches.
Michelle O’Dwyer, a chef and founder of Bay Tree Cookery CIC, was named Merseyside Woman of the Year 2026.
Ms O’Dwyer was recognised for her work to combat hunger and promote inclusion through solutions such as recipe kits and virtual cookery classes.
She said: "All the way through the awards there was just so many amazing women and I was so in awe of everything that they're doing.
"It was lovely to come together and just celebrate that.
"Then when they called my name out, I have never been so gobsmacked in my life, because everybody in that room was so deserving.
"There were many women that I've worked with who were up for awards, who won awards.
"The more you see.
"The more you have to do and it's the community that matters.
"My students, my volunteers, they believe in me so much and I want to help them.
"I think of when I was at my lowest and struggled with depression and so many other things.
"If it wasn't for organisations and people and community just helping me when I couldn't help myself, I wouldn’t be here today and that’s what drives me.
"I'm just paying it forward."
Ellie Kerr, founding director of MWOTY, said Ms O’Dwyer’s work is rooted in her own childhood experiences of poverty and homelessness.
Ms Kerr said: "Michelle’s work is deeply rooted in her own experience of poverty, homelessness and adversity during her childhood.
"Developing her passion for cooking at an early age, learning from her grandmother while also being responsible for her younger siblings, she has transformed her lived experience into a mission to ensure that - in her own words - ‘no one goes hungry on my watch’.
"Since 2010, she has remained focused on that mission and has touched thousands of lives, not just by addressing food poverty and social isolation, but also championing inclusivity, empowering individuals and communities and allowing those facing adversity to reclaim hope and dignity."
Ms O’Dwyer began hosting Christmas Day dinners in 2016 to combat festive loneliness, which have since grown to host more than 270 people in 2025.
This year will mark the event’s 10th anniversary.
The Merseyside Women of the Year awards honour women who have made significant contributions across business, activism, community work, the arts and more.
Further information about the winners and finalists can be found at merseysidewomenoftheyear.co.uk/alumni/.
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