Stevenage Borough Council has teamed up with the Women in Business Network and the Federation of Small Businesses to mark International Women’s Day on Friday.
The three organisations together will host an event at Hotel Cromwell in Stevenage High Street to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
Charlotte Gatward – from one of Hertfordshire’s oldest family run jewellers, Gatwards of Hitchin – will be speaking on the challenges that have faced her professional career and how she overcame them.
She said: “I am delighted to take part in an event to celebrate International Women’s Day.
“I feel this is an opportunity for women to come together, connect and lift each other up to be able to achieve more in business.
“I am excited to be able to share my story with other ladies in business and to inspire them to achieve more in their businesses and lives.”
Dr Klara Valko, DSc, FRSC – who has a business based at the Business & Technology Centre in Stevenage – will discuss how she was inspired to run her own business after more than 20 years at Stevenage-based pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline.
She said: “International Women’s Day was always memorable for me as every woman received a small bunch of flowers on this day in Hungary, where I came from.
“I have been living in Stevenage since 1996 and worked at GSK for 22 years.
“Now I am running my own business at the Stevenage BTC and I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet local businesswomen and share my experience.
“I am sure we can learn from each other and we can support each other.
“It is a great idea and I am glad that this important day for women has not been forgotten.”
The event’s finale will come from award-winning coach Jenny Garrett, who will use her many years of experience in coaching and leadership development to host an interactive session to inspire attendees on how they can identify their uniqueness and increase confidence.
“International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate unsung ‘sheroes’, share the hidden stories of women’s lives and be inspired,” she said.
“Women can be modest about their strengths and achievements, and this can do them a disservice in business.
“I jumped at the chance to take part in this event because I want everyone to recognise their unique strengths and be able to talk about them.
“My #IAmRemarkable sessions will help them do that.”
International Women’s Day is a global day which celebrates women and marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
The campaign theme this year is #BalanceforBetter, with the aim to create a gender-balanced working world.
The campaign will run all year, providing a unified direction to guide and galvanize continuous collective action.
The event at Hotel Cromwell in Stevenage Old Town will also provide networking opportunities before and after presentations from the speakers.
Registration and networking will begin at 12 noon on Friday, and the event is set to continue until 2.30pm. For tickets to the not-for-profit event, go to www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-womens-day-2019-tickets-56408048993.
Also marking International Women’s Day 2019 is the North Herts and Stevenage branch of the Fawcett Society, which is hosting a branch meeting this Saturday from 1pm until 3pm.
Attendees will be welcomed to share stories of the women who have inspired them.
The Fawcett Society is a leading charity which campaigns for gender equality and women’s rights.
The charity has been advancing women’s equality since 1866 when Millicent Fawcett, aged 19, collected signatures on a petition for women’s votes.
She went on to lead the constitutional suffrage campaign and made this cause her lifetime’s work, helping to secure voting rights 62 years later.
The Stevenage and North Herts branch was set up in October 2018, during the suffrage centenary year.
The event will be held at Daneshill House in Stevenage town centre.
To find out more about the Fawcett Society branch, go to fawcettsociety.org.uk/stevenage-north-herts-fawcett or email fawcettstevenage@gmail.com.
For more information on International Women’s Day 2019, visit www.internationalwomensday.com.
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