Three North East business ladies have collaborated to launch a new networking and support organisation for other women in business, which is being run across three UK cities.
Launched at Newcastle Gateshead Hilton with over 50 of the region’s best female talent, City Ladies Networking is set to deliver events in Newcastle, London and Middlesbrough.
The well received inaugural event speaker was Dr Joanna Berry of Durham University Business School, Durham Energy Institute and North East & Yorkshire Institute of Directors.
Owned by Antonia Brindle, Natalie Turner and Sophie Milliken, all of whom have extensive networking and event experience, City Ladies Networking’s main aim will be to foster a fun, pro-female environment for women in business to create outreaching relationships and drive superb business practice.
Financial advisor, Natalie Turner, is keen to cement City Ladies in London further, as well as in the North East, responding to the appetite both North and South for pro-female face to face networking activity. She said:
“Firstly, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Newcastle Gateshead Hilton and the team there who hosted our launch. It was amazing to see so much support for our new venture and for what it represents.
“We have also had our first London meeting, which was a huge success and well attended. It is so rewarding to be able close the North/South gap – women in business are generally amazing and we all have so much to offer each other.”
City Ladies Networking breakfast meetings can be attended on a pay as you go basis, or there is a membership option, which includes a number of benefits. There are also imminent plans to launch quarterly lunch meets and dusk networking opportunities too.
Sophie Milliken is director of a nationally recognised business that supports, mentors and provides assessment centre simulation events for university students looking to start careers. She also works within the corporate market so was keen to be part of the new company, as she sees endless opportunity to support women across the country.
Having won a number of national awards this year including Forward Ladies Entrepreneur of the Year and the WIN Awards flagship award, the Susan Dobson Award for Entrepreneurship, Sophie is well placed to share her experience and saw this as a perfect opportunity. She said:
“It is important for all women to garner, support and encourage female talent. City Ladies Networking is keen to therefore forge partnerships across the three cities and to hear from women in business what structure they need to thrive. There was a clear gap in the market and after the positive response to the launch, we look forward to 2020 with excitement.”
The breakfast meetings, which can be found on the City Ladies Networking website or on Eventbrite, are held on the first Thursday of the month in Newcastle, the second Tuesday of the month in London and the last Thursday of the month in Middlesbrough.
Antonia, who also runs PR, marketing and crisis management agency Get Brindled, concluded:
“Women who work on their own, in a high pressured environment or in a male dominated environment can be in need of an avenue that is outside of the day to day work place but still drives business, to both let off steam and meet like minded people.
“City Ladies is here to provide that, and through a network of professionals, our aim is for the cities to thrive with the creation of business deals, jobs created, contracts won, and most importantly like-minded peers supporting each other.
“It is an exciting time to be a female in business, and a platform to allow us all to share our experience, advice and encouragement can only be well received.”
