A Night of Inspiration at the Women in Fire Safety Awards 2025

On 18 September, members of The Fire Safety Event team - Karim Makki, Kyle Mcken, Jasmine Rakkar, and Jiya Mistry - had the privilege of attending the Women in Fire Safety Awards at the Leonardo Royal Hotel, London, alongside our special guests Chris Tilley and Nikki Barrow, joining industry leaders for an inspiring evening of recognition. The evening was a powerful reminder of how far the industry has come in tackling gender imbalance, and how much potential lies ahead.

Founded in 2021, the awards highlight the exceptional women shaping fire safety today, from rising stars to seasoned leaders. With categories from consultancy, engineering, social housing, to global research, the event showcased a variety of expertise and the growing diversity across the sector.

We were especially proud to sponsor the International Woman of the Year Award, presented by our very own Karim Makki. Congratulations to the outstanding Sandra Sykas-Taylor on her well-deserved recognition.

The glam evening combined networking with genuine celebration. Guests enjoyed a drinks reception, dinner, and live entertainment, but the real highlights came from the award stories themselves. A moment that resonated with us, was a commemoration and Lifetime Achievement Award going to Margaret Law MBE, a pioneer in fire safety engineering, who sadly passed in 2017. The night was filled with moments like this, and they underline why these awards matter so much.

A huge thank you goes to founders Chloe Antoniuk and Kate Blake for creating this platform to champion women in fire safety. Events like these remind us that progress doesn’t just happen through regulation and standards - it happens through people who are passionate.

When Kate and I began this journey, our hope was to shine a light on the incredible women driving change in fire safety. What we experienced on Thursday was so much more. It was a community coming together, lifting one another up, recognising progress and showing the true power of unity - Chloe Antoniuk on LinkedIn

We left feeling inspired, and we can’t wait to see how this energy continues to shape the future of fire safety. We look forward to carrying that momentum into The Fire Safety Event 2026, 28–30 April at the NEC Birmingham, where we’ll continue celebrating innovation, diversity, and excellence across the sector.

Remember to subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates on all things fire safety! Register Your Interest | The Fire Safety Event