Grace Smith, the driving force behind local businesses Forge Female Fitness and Workforce
Wellness, has been named a finalist in four major national awards, recognising the powerful
impact of her work in both women’s health and workplace wellbeing.

Forge Female Fitness is celebrating a triple nomination across three prestigious award
platforms. First, the studio has been shortlisted for Health & Wellbeing StartUp of the Year
(Northern Ireland) at the UK StartUp Awards 2025, a national celebration of the most
innovative and high-impact new businesses across the UK. This recognition reflects Forge’s
rapid growth and life-changing results delivered for women locally and globally.

In addition, Forge is a finalist for Best New Business/StartUp at the Belfast Telegraph
Business Awards, reinforcing its position as one of Northern Ireland’s most inspiring,
community-driven businesses, changing womens lives across all aspects of health and
wellbeing.

The studio is also once again in the running for Gym of the Year at the Local Women Sport
Awards 2025, an honour it proudly won last year. Known for its welcoming environment, strong
community, and empowering coaching style, Forge continues to set the standard for women’s
fitness across Northern Ireland.

And the celebrations don’t stop there, Forge’s very own Head Coach, Joanne Hall, has been
nominated for Coach of the Year at the Local Women Sport Awards. Joanne’s commitment to
building confidence, resilience, and strength in every woman who walks through the doors has
earned her this well-deserved spotlight.

At the heart of the workplace wellbeing movement, Grace’s second business, Workforce
Wellness, has also secured national recognition. The company has been shortlisted for Best
Corporate Healthcare Programme at the Private Healthcare Excellence Awards 2025 for its
groundbreaking work with construction leader GRAHAM. Through a strategic, embedded
approach, Workforce Wellness delivered coaching and cultural change that impacted hundreds
of employees across multiple locations, using a ground breaking new platform and coaching
programme.

These latest nominations mark the 12th national award Forge Female Fitness and Workforce
Wellness has either won or been a finalist for in the past 12 months alone, a huge milestone that
reflects the momentum, mission, and impact of both brands.

Earlier this year, in March, Forge was also awarded Highly Commended – Best Small Business
of the Year at the prestigious Women in Business Awards, celebrating the studio’s success,
growth, and outstanding contribution to women’s health across Northern Ireland.

Speaking on the finalist announcements, Grace said:
“We’re incredibly proud to be recognised across both the fitness and workplace
sectors. These nominations are a reflection of the real-world change we’re driving
every day—from helping women feel stronger in their bodies to reshaping how
organisations think about health.”

The winners will be revealed in the coming weeks, but one thing is clear: whether it’s in the
studio or the workplace, Grace Smith and her team are redefining what health and wellbeing
looks like in modern life in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, and globally.