MARCIA Dawes, Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club executive secretary, received the President's Trophy for outstanding contribution to motorsports growth and development at the group's award function at the Knutsford Court hotel in St Andrew in January.

In February, however, she assumed the role of national coordinator of the Women & Motor Sport Commission (WMC).

"It's an honour and a privilege to have received such a nomination," she told Auto.

The WMC was created on December 11th 2009 by the world motor sport body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), to help promote roles of women in motorsport.

Under the JMMC charter, a local representative was to be nominated and Dawes was selected.

Dawes' task is to help implement FIA programmes nationally. She is also aiming to develop local ones to encourage more female participation both in competition and administrative roles.

"This is now the perfect opportunity to focus on getting women involved in all types of motorsports. I want to find ways to put in place educational programmes and marketing materials done in conjunction with the other females in the sport," she said.

To start her one-year tenure, Dawes aims to try and establish a Women In Motorsport Group within the JMMC. Plans are also in progress to collect data in regards to women in the sport and their progress.