Tuesday 29th September was an empowering and inspirational day for me topped off by being awarded Leicestershire Business Woman of the Year.
During the day I attended the HeForShe Launch event at The University of Leicester. HeForShe is the UN Women Solidarity Movement for Gender Equality looking to men to challenge gender inequalities by
- Calling out sexist behaviour
- Confronting gender stereotyping
- Being inclusive
- Championing change
In the evening was the inspiring celebration of women in Leicestershire, the Women in Business Awards arranged by The Leicester Mercury and sponsored by the University of Leicester.
As a female Managing Director I work and network in a world dominated by middle aged men in suits, I set up my business when I was 19 so rather than source inspiration and mentoring from my peers I looked at my colleagues within the institutions we worked for and my family for strong female role models. I am lucky I have a lot of strong women in my family. My mum, aunties and grandmas have all overcome barriers to achieve their goals and have been my role models. The education sector in Leicester contains many inspiring service leaders who have helped me develop my skills in the business world. So I have to thank some of the wonderful women in my life, there are to many too name, for helping me to achieve this award
The HeForShe launch also made me reflect on some of the men who have supported me to get where I am today, my dad and husband are an amazing support to me and have always believed in me regardless of my gender, if all men were like David Guest and Matthew Cook we wouldn’t have gender inequalities. To move forward, men need to praise their daughters and wives so they have the confidence to realise their dreams.