The founder and owner of a paddleboard school near Witney has been named a finalist in the Best Businesswomen Awards 2024. Moi Blackledge, founder and head coach at Moi’s SUP School, is a finalist in both the Best Consumer Business and Best Solopreneur categories.
These awards recognize the achievements of female entrepreneurs across various industries, selecting finalists based on the impact they have made in their respective fields.
Since its inception in 2021, Moi’s SUP School has grown to become Oxfordshire’s leading paddleboarding school. Based at The Rose Revived in Newbridge near Witney, the school has offered lessons and tours to more than 1,700 people, all seeking to participate in this rapidly growing sport.
The school provides professional tutorials, unique experiences such as SUPYoga, and a variety of tour formats. Customer service has been a primary focus for Ms. Blackledge, creating an engaging and understanding environment for learners. Paddleboarding, known for its excellent health and wellbeing benefits, is a low-impact exercise. As part of its commitment to wellbeing, the company supports the charity Oxfordshire Mind by offering monthly complimentary ‘therapy paddles’ and making charitable donations and sponsorships.
Ms. Blackledge has also developed the UK’s only indoor swimming pool clinics for winter months in partnership with Better Leisure. These clinics, which run in Carterton, Chipping Norton, Didcot, and Thame from November, provide opportunities for both experienced and new paddlers to improve their ‘self-rescue’ skills. These clinics have regularly attracted guests from both inside and outside the county.
Debbie Gilbert, the organizer of The Best Businesswomen Awards, said, “This is the 10th year of these prestigious awards, and despite tough trading conditions over the past few years, these businesswomen have powered forward. Our judging panel, all business experts, were impressed by the quality of the entrants. All our finalists are incredible examples of successful female entrepreneurs who have proved their success to our judges.”
Moi Blackledge added, “I’m absolutely thrilled and honored to be selected as a finalist in both Customer Service and Solopreneur categories by these prestigious awards. Providing excellent customer service is paramount to business success, and I believe that my passion to deliver the most professional, safest, memorable, and enjoyable paddling experiences is what gives us this welcomed recognition in what is predominantly a male-dominated business sector.”
The Gala Awards night will be held at the Hilton Syon Park in London on October 11, where winners for each category will be announced.
