THE impressive surroundings of Buckfast Abbey is set to host the very best of Devon’s business women for a night celebrating the county’s top talent at this year’s Devon Women in Business Awards, and among the nominees is a recruitment consultant from Newton Abbot.

Maddie Holland, who works for Educated Recruitment, an independent education specialists with offices in Newton Abbot, Exeter, Plymouth and Taunton, is in the running for ‘Female Employee of the year’

Born in Exeter but living in Newton Abbot for the past five years, Maddie, 30, worked in retail for 10 years before moving into recruitment consultancy.

Maddie said: ‘Director Marie Cleave started the business from her spare room in August 2013.

‘Nine years later the agency has grown beautifully into a friendly and dedicated team of seven, now operating throughout the county from our office at the heart of Newton Abbot.

‘Through further success in Somerset we now have a sister company, Somerset Education Alliance, which is growing by the year.

‘We provide an unbeatable service to schools throughout Devon, Somerset and work collaboratively with teachers from the area.

‘I feel incredibly grateful to be nominated for the Employee of The Year category.

‘I have been working at Educated Recruitment for four years and have loved every minute.

‘My team and management are incredibly supportive and make me feel very valued.’

The Devon Women in Business Awards Night are set for November 26 at the Buckfast Abbey Conference Centre.

Judging the awards this year are Louise Jenner, The Dream Job Coach, Maureen Frost from Astrality Business Services and Emma Woodward of Dawes Accountants.

Each category sponsor is also invited to be a guest judge for their respective category; Pushed, an animation and video production studio is sponsoring Maddie’s catergory.

The catergories include: Best Sole Trader; Best Female led Small Business up to​ 10 Employees; Best Start Up; Inspirational Leader; Contribution to the Community; Customer Service Excellence; Employer of the Year; ​Female Employee of the year; ​Eco Friendly Business of the Year and ​Best Supporting Act.