Western Business Media acquires Women in Fire Safety Awards

The Women in Fire Safety (WIFS) Awards has been established since 2021 and honours the outstanding achievements from the exceptional women working within the fire safety industry. The most recent iteration took place in September 2025 at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London and attracted 400-plus attendees.

The WIFS Awards have now been acquired by Western Business Media from its founders Chloe Antoniuk and Kate Blake, who will remain with the business as non-executive directors. The awards will form an integral part of the Fire Safety Matters portfolio, which includes the UK’s leading fire safety publication.

To expand on the WIFS Awards’ key aims, there will now be a year-round editorial focus in Fire Safety Matters designed to shine a light on the achievements of women in the sector with the aim of further increasing diversity across the industry. This will take the form of a new column interviewing different women in the fire sector in each issue, in-depth articles and research, podcast interviews and seminar sessions at the Fire Safety Matters Live events.

In addition, the WIFS Awards will be hosting workshops to discuss key issues facing women in the sector and what can be done to encourage more women to pursue a career in the industry.

Inspiring community

Speaking about the acquisition the WIFS Awards, co-founders and non-executive directors Chloe Antoniuk and Kate Blake said: “When we started the Women in Fire Safety Awards in 2021, our mission was simple: to shine a light on the incredible women making a difference across our industry. What began as a small idea quickly grew into something truly special, bringing together an inspiring community of passionate and talented individuals.”

Antoniuk and Blake added: “Now, it’s time for the next chapter. We believe the WIFS Awards deserve to grow even bigger and continue to shine that light even brighter. We’re proud to remain part of it, celebrating excellence, inspiring others and ensuring that light continues to shine for years to come.”

Western Business Media’s CEO Mark Sennett stated: “We are delighted to add the Women in Fire Safety Awards to the Fire Safety Matters portfolio. Fire Safety Matters has always shared the vision of the WIFS Awards: to shine a spotlight on the exceptional women in the fire sector with the aim of seeing even more females pursuing a career in this vital industry.”

Sennett continued: “We are excited to take the WIFS Awards to a new level and support the programme with a year-round focus on diversity through editorial, seminars and dedicated women in fire safety-focused workshops. We are also thrilled that both Chloe and Kate will continue to play a key role in the WIFS Awards’ growth by becoming non-executive directors of the WIFS Awards.”

Larger venue

The WIFS Awards will now move to a larger venue in central London in November 2026, with entries opening next year.

Western Business Media is also delighted to announce that Apollo Fire Detectors is the first organisation to show its support for the growth of the WIFS Awards by agreeing to become Headline Sponsor. 

Apollo Fire Detectors’ managing director Kate Clarke observed: “Apollo is proud to support the Women in Fire Safety Awards, which shine a light on the exceptional talent driving our industry forward. Championing diversity and celebrating achievements are vital to the future of fire safety, and we’re very excited to help inspire the next generation of women in the sector.” 

Fire Safety Matters will be creating a Steering Committee for the WIFS Awards. Interested parties who would like to join this Steering Committee should send an e-mail to: [email protected]

Leanne Velez, commercial head of the Fire Safety Matters portfolio at Western Business Media, commented: “The Women in Fire Safety Awards were created by women to celebrate women in the sector. We want to continue to grow this event by developing a Steering Committee whose members can assist in shaping the key focus of the Fire Safety Matters and WIFS Awards campaign in order to bring more diversity into the sector. We are extremely keen to hear from anyone who would like to be part of this exciting opportunity.”