IWD Event
Here at Reflect Clinic, we like to support women and this week we attended an International Women’s Event organised by WiBN (Women in Business North) at the castle called Mitton Hall in Cliteroe, North Manchester, where there were many inspirational female leaders and visionaries who shared stories of their personal lives and how they managed to hold down a job and eventually started their own Businesses as they couldn’t find a role or company that would work around their personal and family commitments – a story that most women are familiar with, let’s face it!
A selection of ambassadors from each area in the country hosted the event to support leaders of the future. There were many women on stage who were willing to put themselves forward for the challenge and many women in the audience and on stage who were seeking inspiration by sharing their stories.
We women know that there are many challenges faced by women before and after having children and we often are tasked with managing the family and later, parents, and it is a constant juggling act!
Chelsea Slater
First up was Chelsea Slater, who regaled us with her personal story of how she had little thoughts of being a career woman until she heard a speech from a teacher at school and whose words she will never forget.
After learning how NOT to be a manager and leader, she set about starting up a company where she truly lived and breathed the ethos of the company and was able to support her female workforce, not only in words and procedures but in real life including company policies and procedures for the life events that most women go through including family balancing, pregnancy, the menopause, mental health support.
As a founder and leader, she was able to rip up the traditional playbook for company policies and write her own rule book for her company after listening and talking with her work force about what they needed to be working happily in a company.
She said that there is a huge bias against women in technology and although 78% of girls loved tech games, phones and technology, only 64% would consider it as a career, as they couldn’t see themselves in these roles.
If you are in a position to mentor a young girl in tech or give them work experience, then she urged you to please do it, which ties in with the theme of this year’s IWD to #AccelerateAction
The Wish Centre Charity
I bumped into a wonderful woman when I first walked in, called Sophie Hoyle, (see picture) who was the Communication Manager for the Wish Centre charity, who I’d not heard of before.
Sophie was representing the charity and was promoting their Secret Garden Spring Ball at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa to be held on Saturday, 5th April 2025.
The charity is a non-profit organisation which supports families to live free from domestic abuse and they are based in Blackburn and Darwen.
Their ethos is “We Listen, We Support, We EMPOWER” and what a wonderful ethos this is!
It’s also spot on for the audience at the IWD event where the key take home was that women are becoming more and more empowered in their home and work lives to take control of their own lives.
These events plant the seeds and open the doors of what you could achieve if you put your mind and body to work towards it.
The charity website is thewishcentre.org if you’d like more information on this event or would like to know more about what the charity does for women.
Comedian Maura Jackson
And finally, North Manchester Comedian and all round Queen, Maura Jackson (not to be confused with Maura Higgins of Love Island fame!
She had the whole room aghast and laughing out loud from the off with her specific style of honest, northern humour where there were no holds barred.
Smashing the concepts of what a woman should be, she talked about her relationships to the men in her life and her three marriages, you’d have to see her to believe it, as I can’t mention some of the words she used! HA HA
She has a certain way of connecting with the hearts and souls of her audience to ensure real belly laughs of relief, shock and surprise at every turn of her life in decades.
Having had a huge weight loss journey and living her life fully as a woman, she is a true inspiration.
If you get a chance and enjoy real Northern humour, then she is your woman!
You can follow her on instagram @thefeatherfixer and her talents include being an event host and stand up comedian.
L-R: Leanne Rose @iamleannerose, Joanna, Maura Jackson and Fariba Murphy.
Northern Event
The event was organised by Susie Sprigg and a team of wonderful women from WiBN which is the Women in Business Network. Although I regularly attend the Cheshire groups, this event was for female entrepreneurs from the North of the United Kingdom, including
- Rachel Gilbert for Ambleside and Penrith
- Helen Clarke for Preston, Pendle, Ribble Valley & Lancaster
- Rosie Diver for Liverpool, Wirral and Chester
- Ru Howard for Bolton, Bury and Worsley
- Susie Sprigg for North & East Cheshire, East Merseyside and Greater Manchester
- Lindsey Stephens for Cheshire East and West and finally
- Nidhi Kapoor for Didsbury & Leeds
It was a packed house and a packed day and can’t wait to go to next years! Make sure you look WiBN up and if you’re looking for inspiration, support and practical help, then these are your women! Happy International Women’s Day 2025 to you ladies!
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If you’re interested in having a consultation about a part of your body that you would like to improve, looking natural whilst staying true to yourself, then call Jayne our Clinic Manager on 07434 572 794.
There’s no pressure, but taking that first step of making a phone call, or filling out our contact form, can help you make an informed ddecision, so you choose the best route for you.
