Leonie McCarthy probably has one of the toughest – and most important – jobs in Peterborough.

As the manager of new arrivals project New Link, Leonie must listen carefully to the concerns of the city's settled residents, at the same time as helping ease migrant workers into the Peterborough workforce.

In 2006, Leonie was chosen to be one of 12 commissioners to work on a Goverment project to tackle integration and cohesion.

She was unable to attend the awards ceremony on Friday, as she was away on business.

But Pam Manning, who accepted the award on her behalf, said she would be "delighted" by it.

Pam added: "We were all rooting for her. she's such a leader, she's so inspirational."

Meet all the 2008 winners | Women of Achievement home - www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/woa
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Runner-up: Jo Fuller-Gray

When Jo Fuller-Gray's business, JFG Recycling, started four years ago, it was just her and her dad working from her garage refurbishing and selling on carpet tiles that were about to be landfilled. Today, Jo operates from an industrial unit with five employees, and the business has already recycled more than 100 tonnes of tiles in the past 12 months.


Runner-up: Anthea Cox

Anthea Cox manages to combine a high-powered job as a co-ordinating secretary for the Methodist Church in Great Britain with being a wife and mother to two boys.

Her job has seen her travel all over the world, as well as attend high-powered breakfast meetings at Downing Street.