£55.00

International Women’s Day – 5 Mar 2025

Description

Kirsty and Tricia are collaborating to offer Women in Business in the Cheshire and Manchester region a full-day multi-speaker networking conference to celebrate IWD2025.

Address

Statham Lodge Hotel, Warrington Road, Lymm, Warrington, Cheshire, WA13 9BP

Event Timing

Wednesday 5th March 2025, 10:00am - 3.00pm

Event Details:

Cheshire International Women’s Day IWD 2025

Following the success of prior IWD events run since March 2020, Tricia and Kirsty will unite to deliver an event for Women in Business in the Cheshire and surrounding region.

The global campaign theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025 is #AccelerateAction – Accelerate Action is a worldwide call to acknowledge the strategies, resources and activity that positively impact women’s advancement, and to support and elevate their implementation. Focusing on the need to Accelerate Action emphasizes the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

PROGRAMME (subject to adjustment):

Our 2025 programme will see networking activities as well as presentations from several speakers and include morning refreshments and lunch.

Women in business will be offered an event that is fun and supportive and which promises connections, learning and inspiration.

10.00 – Doors open to attendees to browse stalls & for open networking over welcome refreshments.

11.00 – Welcome and Introductions from the event hosts & partners

11.15 – 14.45 – Multiple Speakers, Lunch and Networking Activities

14.45 – Raffle and thanks

15.00 – Event close

 


 

SPEAKERS*

Clare Hayward MBE DL DBA(h.c.) MBA, High Sheriff of Cheshire

A successful business leader and entrepreneur focused on leadership and strategic engagement who has coached, facilitated and chaired boards, senior management teams and leaders across the globe over the last 30 years working in industry sectors including technology, banking, natural resources, transport, retail and manufacturing. Clare is focused on enabling and investing in businesses that are either Northern, female led or focused on sustainability.

Current Chair of NP11 – the 11 regions across the north, focused on raising the global profile of the north

Current Co-chair of the Convention of the North, and a FTSE 100 Board Member of a utilities company.

Former Chair of Cheshire and Warrington LEP where she was also the Chair of the Employer Skills Board.

Former MD at Accenture focused on being the Global Growth and Strategy lead for the Leadership and Culture Practice and the Growth Director at Cirrus.

Additionally, Clare is involved in a number of charities and community projects and is a supporter of Cheshire Community Foundation and the Our Space Youth Centre in Macclesfield.

 


 

Dr. Sally Penni MBE, CCMI, FRSA, Barrister at Law

Dr Sally Penni MBE is a high profile award-winning practicing barrister at Law at Kenworthy’s Chambers. Outside of that she is also a public speaker, diversity leader, in her own words and most importantly a Proud Mother of three.

Sally is also the founder of the Women in the Law UK organisation. A Professional development organisation empowering its 35,000 members plus members through education and training events. Sally also sits as Non-Executive Director on a variety of boards bringing her experience and expertise in a variety of areas including criminal law, governance, employment law & cybersecurity

Sally is a keen fundraiser supporting numerous local and national charities including Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, breast cancer prevent and cancer research and mind. She is the author of over 16 books including academic legal books and 4 children books the wonderful Amazon best seller Rosie and the Unicorn series.

She is the broadcast and host of her acclaimed weekly podcast Talking law and she holds a number of highly acclaimed fellowships including being a Companion of Chartered Management institute, a Chartered Manager (Cmgr), Fellow RSA, Trustee of Access to justice foundation, member of the advocates gateway committee. In 2020 she was awarded an MBE by her Majesty in Her Birthday Honours list for services to diversity, social mobility and to law.

 


 

Nicola Wood, TEDx Speaker | Cancer Activist | Author | Multi-Award-Winning Entrepreneur | Medical Hair Loss Specialist

At 36, Nicola was diagnosed with Invasive Breast Cancer. After receiving her diagnosis, Nicola underwent treatment and realised that the then-existing hair-loss solutions were outdated and insufficient. This insight inspired her to create a hair loss service that caters to everyone and everybody.

In 2016, Nicola founded The Wonderful Wig Company. This unique and compassionate service has so far supported over 15,000 adults and more than 2,000 children experiencing medical hair loss, including those undergoing chemotherapy or living with alopecia.

Nicola delivered her first TEDx talk in 2024, titled “Why It’s Not Just Hair” watched by over 32 thousand people. In the talk, Nicola shares how hair represents more than just appearance – it embodies self-worth, resilience, and a personal journey of healing. She challenges the misconception that hair is about vanity, instead revealing its profound role in shaping a person’s identity.

Nicola’s dedication to others has earned her numerous accolades, including Disrupter for Good at the Northern Power Women in 2024, Most Inspiring Businesswoman at the Best Businesswomen Awards in 2023, Health and Beauty Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2022 and Most Inspiring Female at the Chamber of Commerce Business Awards in 2021.

 


 

Esther Ghey, Director at Peace & Mind UK

Esther Ghey is a campaigner for social media reform and the founder of Peace & Mind UK, a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the mental health of young people and their families through the promotion of mindfulness in schools.

Peace & Mind UK was founded by Esther after the tragic death of her daughter Brianna in February 2023. Esther believes that mindfulness helped her to get through this horrible time and wishes to share the power of its practice for building resilience.

Through education and community action, Peace & Mind aims to empower young people and break down barriers in order to create a happier and more peaceful society.

Peace & Mind UK is involved in nationwide campaigning whilst also offering community-based activities for young people and families.

Esther has since appeared on Newsnight, taken her campaign to the House of Commons and become an ambassador for the Mindfulness in Schools Project.

She is now at the centre of the debate around banning phones in schools and driving better online safety for children and young people.

Esther was named the Independent’s Most Influential Woman of 2024, leading a cast of fifty politicians, campaigners, businesswomen, athletes and celebrities who have all played a prominent part in British life, as well as being listed among GQ’s Heroes of 2024.

2025 will see the 2nd anniversary since the very public loss of her daughter. It will also see the release of a book in her memory. Under a Pink Sky is a mother’s true story of love, loss, the power of forgiveness and the fight to protect our children’s futures in the digital age. It is an emotional memoir about the life and death of her daughter and of a mother who had to find a way to survive without her. It is a story of transforming unimaginable tragedy into change, of the power of empathy, and a call for understanding and unity in the face of the threats our young people face in an increasingly unchecked digital world. This is Esther’s fight for a safer, more hopeful future.

* Our speaker program is subject to potential alteration if we are affected by illness or other late availability issues beyond our control that may require us to replace a speaker or allow them to join by video link. We confirm that a minimum of 3 speakers will be at the event in person.


TICKET TYPES

Early Bird – £49 + £1 booking fee (until 20 Jan 2025)

Advance – £54 + £1 booking fee (until 16 Feb 2025)

Standard – £59 + £2 booking fee (until 28 Feb 2025)

Last minute – £69 + £3 booking fee (from 1 Mar 2025)

Tables of 8 or 10 – Early bird rate guaranteed and no fees (please email tricia.cheshirebe@gmail.com to be invoiced)

Charities – Early bird rate guaranteed and no fees (please email tricia.cheshirebe@gmail.com to be invoiced)

 


EVENT SPONSORS & PARTNERS

Opportunities exist to sponsor and host tables as well as aspects of the event to receive additional promotional content. For package details, please email kirsty@kirstyjames.co.uk.

A huge thank you to our current and past event sponsors for supporting this annual event.

2025 SPONSORS

Sinclair Law

Sinclair Law focus exclusively on family law and divorce, offering the best legal support in Cheshire and South Manchester. They help clients to navigate difficult times with understanding and confidence, aiming for resolution with minimal conflict – while standing firm when you needed most, and without the city centre cost.

Heather Hiley Financial Planning

Heather Hiley Financial Planning partners with you to help achieve your life goals and provide tailored financial planning for all stages of your life. Specialising in developing a financial plan that stays with you throughout your financial journey in order to achieve financial freedom, minimise financial stress and future proof your finances.

Leavitt Walmsley Associates Limited

LWA is an award-winning firm of accountants with offices in Sale, South Manchester, and Birchwood in Warrington. Although we are a local, independent practice of accountants in Manchester and Warrington, we work with businesses of all sizes providing an award-winning range of services that go above and beyond standard accountancy provision, rivalling the national firms but representing best value for our clients.

Andrew Collier Photography

A lifestyle family and pet portrait photographer based in Lymm, near Warrington, in Cheshire. Lifestyle portraits capture your way of life, your style, your tastes and your values. Lifestyle portrait photography is also about photographing in natural light, in real locations and capturing who you really are. Most importantly it is ‘your story – perfectly told’.

ASL Group, formerly Sharples Group

Supporting event copying and printing

TABLE HOSTS

There are opportunities available for those wishing to host a table of attendees (already booked in) to benefit from additional marketing. If you are interested, please email kirsty@kirstyjames.co.uk to book.

STALLS

A limited number of stall places are available. If you are interested, please email tricia.cheshirebe@gmail.com to book.


FURTHER INFORMATION

DIETARY NOTES:

If you have any food allergies, please ensure that you have added these during the booking process.

RAFFLE:

Our chosen causes for this event will be Prevent Breast Cancer and Peace & Mind UK. Please have cash or a payment card to hand if you’d like to buy a ticket. Tickets are £5.

A loose change table raffle will also take place offering you the chance to win table gifts in return for your donations of loose change into pots on the table. The beneficiary of this collection will be Creating Adventures.

If you are in a position to donate a raffle prize of products or services, please bring with you and let us know on arrival.

REFUNDS & CANCELLATION:

Refunds will not be possible within 14 days of the event once orders have been placed with the venue.

Should you need to cancel your place, we will issue a refund if we are able to find a find a replacement attendee to take your place.

This event will run in-person. In the event of having to cancel or postpone the in-person event due to Covid or other logistical changes, we would endeavour to run an alternative online event. Attendees would be contacted and given the option to cancel for a full refund, to carry forward their ticket to the rescheduled event or to attend online with a credit for the reduced event content and applicable price difference.

Pre-booking only

No sector or geographical restrictions. No limit per company

EVENT ORGANISERS:

Cheshire Women in Business is a collaborative project run by Kirsty James and Tricia Peters, who both offer business networking events and services. Between them, they have helped hundreds of people to connect and grow their businesses and they are responsible for thousands of pounds worth of business in the region, as well as significant fundraising for many charities, both regional and national.

The Cheshire IWD event was set up and run by KTS Women in Business, a collaboration between three of the most renowned networking event organisers in the North West, who have been referred to in the regional press and by attendees as the ‘Queens of Networking’, the ‘Three Amigo’s’ and the ‘Backbone of Networking’ in Cheshire and Manchester. When Sue retired late 2024, Kirsty and Tricia agreed to continue running a select number of joint events. 

Although each of the ladies has their own business and their individual style of bringing people together, their core message is the same. They know that, although social media is a fantastic tool for business development, nothing beats direct communication via events and building up a business relationship gradually. They strive to host events, workshops and seminars to facilitate introductions, inspiration and learning for their attendees.

Get your ticket here:

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