'Our mission is to make the UK less lonely for women'

When Stephanie Barney moved to Liverpool from France in 2020 to study at the University of Liverpool, she could never have imagined that a life-changing sexual assault would lead her to set up an award-winning organisation to support women.

The 23-year-old was recognised for her work by being crowned Merseyside's Woman of the Year for 2025 at a ceremony in Liverpool on Friday.

The Girls On The Go social enterprise, which Ms Barney set up two years ago with her partner Martin Mach and friend Caitlin Lewing, helps women make friends.

She said: "Our mission is to make the UK a less lonely place for women and we do that by organising weekly events of all kinds - like social, creative, fitness - that women can come along to by themselves and make new friends.

"We just didn't want anyone to feel lonely and it's very hard to make friends as an adult.

"We wanted to help make that process a bit easier."

It's a subject very close to Ms Barney's heart.

When she moved to Liverpool in 2020 she said she struggled to make friends as a university student during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking about what motivated her to set up Girls On The Go, she said Britain's "drinking culture was quite a shock to me - I didn't really connect with it very well".

Ms Barney added: "Then when I did make a friend he sexually assaulted me and it was just a very, very isolating and lonely time for me.

"I did have endless support from my parents while I was going through everything, but I lived so far away from home, so it was really difficult.

"So that's kind of what drives me on - 19-year-old Steph was really depressed and lonely and I just want to make sure that no-one ever feels that way.

"I hope I'm making her proud."

Since Girls On The Go started in Liverpool in 2023 it has expanded to Manchester and Birmingham.

And Ms Barney is not content to stop there.

"We're hoping to expand into all major cities in the UK," she said, stressing that "in our online community we have about 200,000 [women] and I think we've had around 20,000 come to our events..."

Additionally, she said the Girls On The Go platform had so far raised £65,000 for women's charities.

The annual Merseyside Women of the Year Awards celebrate the achievements of women from across the region, acknowledging and rewarding those who are changing and giving extra meaning to the lives of people from the region and beyond.

Speaking about becoming the award's youngest recipient, Ms Barney said: "I feel incredible - the competition was so insane and I didn't even prepare a speech!

"There were so many incredible women and I'm just in shock... I don't think I've fully digested it yet, but I'm very, very proud and honoured."

She said the award was "not just for me - it's for Martin and Caitlin as well and our whole community".

The Merseyside Women of the Year awards' founding director Ellie Kerr said: "What Stephanie has built in such a short time and at such a young age is nothing short of remarkable.

"Not only has she built a safe, inclusive and diverse community of women and girls that is actively tackling the issue of loneliness and isolation, she has made it financially sustainable [while], delivering social impact.

"She is demonstrating how social activism and business leadership can go hand-in-hand, and how we can make an enormous difference through collaboration and co-working.

"Girls On The Go is only at the start of its journey, and it has enormous potential.

"We're so excited to see – and support – what comes next."

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