The award, sponsored by The Barefoot Foundation, is given to the most inspirational and successful female entrepreneur who runs a business with a clearly defined social and/or ethical purpose at its heart.

Speaking from the stage, a delighted Mary, managing director of Oxford-based Colourful Coffins, said: “To win this award was absolutely fantastic, a real honour. It is thanks to the hard work of my team that we have achieved such success, if it wasn’t for them I couldn’t tell everyone the Colourful Coffins story.”

"It was a great pleasure to present the Gaia Award to Mary – her passion and determination is an inspiration to all, said Dawn. I believe in her philospopy of ‘ Life Celebrations ‘ not funerals. We need to celebrate the lives of the loved ones we have lost .. I know I did when I lost my dad .. My dad's coffin would have been covered in Daffodils if I had met Mary before he died. I’ve placed my order with Mary - mine's a Leopardskin one .. but I am afraid it will have a 50 year lead time as I’m not popping until I’m 100!" - Dawn Gibbins.

Congratulating Mary, Karen Gill MBE, co-founder of everywoman, said: “The NatWest everywoman Awards are growing from strength to strength each year. The standard and number of entries gets higher every year, resulting in an increasingly difficult judging process! This is a testament to the extraordinary contribution of female entrepreneurs to UK plc.”

In the lead-up to the big day, Mary had been interviewed by the judges in London, providing an overview of the company she started with husband Kevin in 2004, and explaining why Colourful Coffins’ entry into the funeral market was such a bold and entrepreneurial move.

Judges were impressed by the fact that Colourful Coffins puts environmental issues so high up the agenda. It was the first picture coffin company to introduce 100% recycled cardboard coffins; partners with carbon offsetting organisation Climate Care to offset greenhouse gases each time one of its coffins is cremated; plants a tree in its own memorial woodland each time one is buried, and only uses bio-degradable paper or cotton wraps and environmentally friendly inks.

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