A Special Award was given to Denise Marshall, the former CEO and extraordinary feminist who passed away on the 21st of August 2015. The award was accepted on her behalf by her widow Lisa Alabaksh.

During her lengthy career within the women’s sector, Marshall was the founder of an internationally acclaimed scheme, the Poppy Project, which housed and supported the victims of sex trafficking into the UK, and a number of other innovative projects that brought about real change for those who had experienced sexual assault and exploitation.