The Lady Finniston awards began in 1991, instigated largely by Sir Monty Finniston, a prominent industrialist and reformer of engineering education, who wished to encourage women to take up engineering careers. Unfortunately he did not live to see the inauguration of the scheme, which WES decided to continue with after his death. Initial funding in 1991 totalled £5000, coming largely from industry, in particular from Nuclear Electric, and 5 awards in the region of £1000 were made. Subsequent donors and sponsors have included the MoD, Rolls Royce, the National Electronics Council (NEC), BG Foundation, the Worshipful Company of Engineers and The Engineering Employers Federation as well as private benefactors and WES itself. More than 50 women have benefited from the awards. Click here for some Lady Finniston Award case studies.

Administrative assistance was initially provided by the Institution of Incorporated Mechanical Engineers (IMechIE) and this role has been continued by the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) into which the IMechIE was absorbed in 1998.

The awards are administered by Women's Engineering Society (WES) with the assistance of the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (now the IET). Recent sponsors include Arup, Hewlett Packard, and Hydratight Sweeney Ltd.

In October 2002, to celebrate the ten years of the awards a reception was hosted by the Worshipful Company of Engineers at the Wax Chandler's Hall in London.

Could you or your company help sponsor these awards? Click here for further details.

WES is happy to give donor companies or individuals publicity if they wish, including by the attachment of their name to specific awards. The presentation of the awards is given publicity in the WES journal, the WES website and relevant University newsletters and, wherever possible, through company and engineering institutions' journals or local media.