Well technically our main event supported by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is not till 3rd April, for a good reason I hasten to add. We here at the BEC are committed to equality and so we wanted to wait till our colleagues had finished fasting and Eid celebrations have been concluded.
Love it or hate it (it is a personal choice) events specifically designed for women have become powerful platforms for networking, skill development, and community building. Whether you're looking to attend, host, or simply learn more about these gatherings, here's a look at why women-focused events matter and how they're making a difference.
Why Women-Focused Events Matter
Women-focused events create safe spaces where participants can discuss unique challenges, share experiences, and form meaningful connections. In our experience here at the BEC, women are more forthcoming in discussing the challenges they face in starting or running a business. There is no denying that events like this help address gender gaps in various industries by:
- Providing mentorship opportunities with successful women leaders
- Creating networks that support professional advancement.
- Offering skill-building workshops tailored to women's needs.
- Celebrating achievements that might otherwise go unrecognised.
- Fostering conversations about gender-specific challenges and solutions
Womens events come in all shapes and sizes and believe me in my ten years at the BEC we have been to some shockers. We have concluded that there is fine line in celebrating women in business and the flip side is a very tokenistic, toe curling, celebration of being a woman which makes people feel uncomfortable and comes across as all men are terrible! Well, it does for myself and my Operations Director 😊
Womens events can take the shape of informal networking events they create opportunities for women to connect in relaxed settings. When starting out be mindful that some of these women networking events come with a hefty price tag ranging from £25 to around £70 per session. A decent brunch or lunch is included but it is worth evaluating what you will get from these before joining as a regular attender. Our events here at the BEC formal or informal are free and will always be free to support businesses male or female.
A fairly new concept which is gaining in popularity is wellness and personal development retreats focusing on wellness, leadership, and personal growth which offer women space for reflection, self-care, and holistic development away from daily pressures and responsibilities.
Some of them look fabulous who wouldn’t want a retreat in Portugal for 5 days but again they can come with a high price and so weigh up the pros and cons.
Skill-Building Workshop, or hands-on workshops focused on specific skills—from coding and public speaking to financial literacy and negotiation—help women develop expertise in areas where they may have had limited access to training. Of course, they also offer networking opportunities and a chance to meet like minded women in business.
Lastly there are of course professional conferences which are normally industry specific and offer the opportunity to bring new founders, and industry leaders to share insights, research, and career advice. These events typically feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions.
We would like to think that our two events on Thursday 3rd April and Thursday 10th April are offering a pick and mix of all the above.
Our business conference on 3rd April Power Forward: Women Transforming Business
‘In celebration of women’s empowerment month, yes, we know we are late! But we intentionally scheduled to ensure our entire community could participate! ‘
We are hosting a women’s business conference and are delighted to be joined by Cllr Ashraf Deputy Leader of the Council and Cllr Sade Bright Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Enterprise.
We are delighted to have a keynote speech from Gilly Tobin a Director from Altair a leading construction consultancy who will talk about her journey as a woman in Construction.
We also have two fabulous workshops, a mental health literacy workshop and a brand story workshop you can choose on the day.
Find more information for this event here.
On Thursday 10th April we are hosting a Women in Care networking event as part of our Amplify programme funded by London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and UKSPF. You can find the link here.
It is clear women-focused events continue to evolve as powerful catalysts for change, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond the events themselves. By bringing women together to share knowledge, build skills, and form connections, these gatherings are helping reshape industries and communities to be more equitable and inclusive.
PS. Before I get a barrage of comments men are always invited and welcomed!
