Orkney’s Sheila Fleet Jewellery has been announced as a finalist in three categories of the prestigious Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards 2026.
The firm, which runs the Kirk Gallery and Café in Tankerness, along with galleries in Kirkwall, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews, is shortlisted in the Outstanding Business of the Year, Service Excellence Business of the Year, and Rural Business of the Year categories of the awards.
Organised by Women’s Enterprise Scotland, the awards celebrate women-led businesses from across the country. A judging panel has selected 53 finalists across ten different categories.
Winners of the Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards, which is being supported by Business Gateway, Titan Wealth, YourScene, The Scottish National Investment Bank and Community Enterprise, will be announced at a glittering ceremony which takes place at the Voco Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow on Thursday 29 October. The keynote speaker at this year’s event is Marie Owen OBE, founder of LS Productions.
Sheila Fleet, who established her business in 1993, said: “It is fantastic to be shortlisted in not one, but three categories! We have a large group of women employed within the business, around 79-per-cent of our team in fact. We have built a great team within who have been key to its success and to get the recognition is fantastic, and that too for Orkney.”
The company, which opened its latest luxury designer jewellery shop in Edinburgh’s Hanover Street last year, is currently working on a new gallery in Kirkwall’s Albert Street.
Sheila added: “The anticipated completion of our latest new Kirkwall gallery would be in time for Summer 2027. This is a very ambitious project inspired by some of Orkney’s fantastic rock formations along its coast, which will feature in ground floor interiors. On the shop front, the most inspiration is from the Old Man of Hoy. A copper and bronze sculpture will create a real interest in Kirkwall’s historic centre with a contemporary feel.”
Carolyn Currie, Chief Executive at Women’s Enterprise Scotland, said: “Our awards recognise the considerable contribution women-led businesses make to Scotland’s economy. They also provide a valuable opportunity to showcase visible role models for women and girls who follow. Both the volume and the calibre of entries for the awards were very high and the judging panel had a very challenging task to compile the list of finalists. We are now looking forward to a fantastic awards evening in October, when we will shine a spotlight on the diverse range of women led businesses which are making such a vital contribution to Scotland’s economy.”
Women’s Enterprise Scotland (WES) was established in 2011 as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) working to close the gender gap in enterprise participation. WES advocates for better evidence-based policy making and believes that delivering expert, needs-based business support will enable women to fulfil their aspirations and unlock an £17bn economic potential to boost the economy.
Visit the official Sheila Fleet Jewellery website.