Cokie van der Velde at the awards ceremony
Cokie van der Velde was named Barclays Women of the Year Award winner at a ceremony at the InterContinental London Park Lane.
More than 400 women attended and of these outstanding women, six were honoured with Women of the Year Awards.
The 2015 Women of the Year Award winners were selected for their perseverance and courage in the face of some of the most serious issues facing women.
Ms van der Velde, of Whixley, near York, works as an aid worker for the charity Medicine San Frontier and has spent time helping to combat the Ebola virus in Liberia and Guinea.
Sandi Toksvig, president of Women of the Year, said: “Women of the Year has celebrated the wonderful achievements of women since 1955. Everyone involved is incredibly proud to see so many extraordinary women carrying the torch of those who came before. The remarkable women who make up the attendees and winners at this year’s Lunch are being recognised for their strides in making the world a better place.”
Attendees included Great British bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain, of Leeds, Yorkshire-born MP Justine Greening and Baroness Floella Benjamin. The ceremony was hosted by Women of the Year President, Sandi Toksvig, and awards were introduced by actress Nicole Kidman, comedian Jo Brand, Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor, newscaster Julie Etchingham and broadcaster Lorraine Kelly.
