NIGHAT AWAN WINS 'OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION' AWARD
(12 October 2004)

Nighat Awan O.B.E., chief executive of the Shere Khan Group, last night won the prestigious Outstanding Contribution award at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival. The award was presented by Manchester's Lord Mayor Tom O'Callaghan, who acknowledged that the accolade was as much for Nighat's tireless charity work as her business acumen in the food trade. In her acceptance speech Nighat expressed her pride at being a "British Asian, Manchester born and bred."

Nighat was born in Manchester and worked in fashion retail and the floristry business before entering the restaurant trade with her now-famous Shere Khan restaurants in Rusholme and The Trafford Centre amongst others. Shere Khan is now a thriving international business, with 'Express' counters in the UK and Spain, and the brand has also successfully entered the export business with an innovative range of curry products available in supermarkets both here and abroad, including Hong Kong, Canada, Belgium, Ireland and the USA.

Nighat's spare time is taken up with charitable activities for a variety of organizations, including The Prince's Trust, Business in the Community, Bolton Business Ventures and Cancer BACUP. Nighat's work in the charity sector has now been officially recognized, with an O.B.E. in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours being awarded for her services to charity as well as her business achievements.

Nighat, a mother of three, lives and works in Hale, Cheshire.

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