Pictured: Hayley Bamber and Rhian Hawkins of Harrison Drury Solicitors
Last week saw the second of the Ladies in Property, Lancashire event, hosted by Preston Planners, Smith & Love.
50 ladies, working in all aspects of planning, development and construction, met at Baker Street Bar, Preston to network with industry colleagues.
The event included a presentation by Caroline Dakin on building resilience. Caroline helps individuals to be the best and most resilient version of themselves, in order that teams and businesses can thrive. She delivered an engaging session which looked at the physiological and psychological factors that can affect our ability to deal with testing times. The group received some excellent insight into how work and life stresses can cause us to be less resilient and practical advice on how to proactively top up our resilience levels.
Smith & Love Founder & Director, Deborah Smith, said of the event: “It was great to see the return of those who attended the inaugural event plus many more new faces.
“We formed the group for two reasons. Firstly, we are seeing a real buzz in the industry at the moment, particularly in Preston and wider Lancashire. There are some fantastic projects happening and some extremely talented women are leading and contributing to them. We wanted to celebrate these women and also provide them with a welcoming space to build their professional network.
“Secondly, it’s reported that only 13% of the construction sector’s workforce are women. I’ve worked in the industry for over 22 years and whilst this has increased since then, there is still a long way to go. I think we have a responsibility to not only encourage young women into the industry but also to keep them there by providing a nurturing experience. I feel strongly that this group will do that. Each event will include a different speaker or activity, with a focus on personal and professional development. Our next event will be held this Autumn and will hopefully incorporate a tour of an exciting new development in Preston.”
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