Ally Mangan on 3rd December was announced as the inaugural winner of the Randox Grand National Festival Women in Business Award, a recognition created to honour the creativity, resilience, and ambition of women-led businesses across the Liverpool City Region. The award offers one outstanding local businesswoman a breakthrough opportunity to become an official partner of the 2026 Randox Grand National Festival.
With a large number of strong entries and a rigorous selection process, Vicky Gosling OBE received a shortlist of contenders, and Loved By Ally emerged as the winner. Mangan, a mother and grandmother from Formby, founded Loved By Ally during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. After recently losing her mother, she turned to her passion for vintage clothing, beginning with a single Instagram page, which has since grown into a thriving vintage clothing business.
Speaking about her delight at being the first winner, Mangan said the award felt overwhelming and added that vintage fashion has always been a passion. She praised Aintree’s sense of community and expressed her love for Ladies Day, describing it as an important part of Liverpool’s identity. She also reflected on her family’s long association with the racecourse and acknowledged that she never imagined she would win.
Mangan paid tribute to her late mother, describing how her love of charity shops and preloved clothing inspired the creation of her business. Sorting through her mother’s wardrobe made her realise that almost everything she wore was preloved, inspiring what later became Loved By Ally. She added that her mother would be proud and expressed regret that she was not here to see the moment.
On the rise of preloved clothing, Mangan said that people once felt ashamed to visit charity shops, but now find it more acceptable to shop sustainably. She noted the environmental benefits and said vintage clothing offers pieces with their own history.
Looking ahead to the 2026 Randox Grand National Festival, she expressed excitement about the Randox Grand National Weights Lunch at St George’s Hall and said being the first winner feels like something new for both herself and Aintree. She praised the spirit of Liverpool, saying it is what makes Aintree special.
Dickon White, Regional Director North West at The Jockey Club, said the award attracted a strong entry, but Mangan’s submission stood out. He noted the brand’s strong community roots and commitment to sustainability and said they look forward to collaborating with her ahead of the 2026 festival.
The award includes an official partnership for 2026, advertising rights on Ladies Day, promotional space, a branded advertising board, an invitation to the Randox Grand National Weights Lunch, guest access to the Aintree Chairman’s Entertaining suite, interviews, collaborative social media posts, post-event media evaluation, and 12 months’ free membership with the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.
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