WISH South East Winter News 2024

WISH South East Winter News 2024

Welcoming New Board Members and Reflecting on WISH South East Events in 2024

This year has been a significant one for WISH South East as we continue to grow, support, and empower women in housing. We are thrilled to welcome several new board members who bring a wealth of experience, energy, and commitment to our mission. Please join us in welcoming Anna Keys, Josie Lee, Rebecca Sandhu, Rebecca Armstrong, Elizabeth Slate, and Joanne Kelly to the WISH South East board. We are excited to see the positive impact they will bring as we move forward.

Celebrating Our 2024 Events

March 2024: Celebrating International Women’s Day
In March, we marked International Women’s Day with an inspiring event. Our guest speaker, Stephanie Goad, CEO of Golding Homes, addressed the important topic of the gender pay gap. Stephanie's insights provided valuable perspectives and sparked thought-provoking discussions about gender equality in the workplace. This vibrant event was generously sponsored by One Consulting Group, and we were delighted to see so many members in attendance.

Photos from the day showcased the energy and enthusiasm that defines WISH events.

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The Women In Social Housing (WISH) South East Social Value Debate: Profit or Purpose?
This thought-provoking event explored the balance between profit and purpose in the social housing sector. A huge thank you to mhs homes for accommodating us in their beautiful office space and to Hannah Gwilt for sharing valuable insights as part of our panel.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to MMP Consultancy Limited for sponsoring this event and to Ebonnie Goss for joining the panel. Your contributions were invaluable, and we look forward to hosting you again!

We could listen to Lisa Bliss and Nicola Dibb discuss this topic all day – thank you both for your honesty, humour, and for underpinning such important issues. The changes being implemented by the London Construction Programme and SOLVE SOCIAL VALUE continue to inspire us to seek new and more meaningful outcomes.

A special thank you to Lauren Kennett for providing such a well-balanced, experienced perspective, including great examples of contractor successes with Hill Group UK. It was a fantastic event that left us with plenty of food for thought.

December 2024: Christmas Event
Looking to our final celebration of the year, we hosted a festive Christmas Event with a focus on giving back. Sponsored by Hoare Lea, this event supported and raised funds for the charity Widowed and Young (WAY). We’ll be sharing some photos and highlights from this event very soon on our linkedin page – stay tuned!

Exciting Events Coming Up

We are committed to delivering impactful events and workshops that address key issues and challenges facing women in the workplace. Here’s a preview of what’s on the horizon:

• Addressing the Skills Shortage: A critical conversation on tackling skills gaps and empowering the workforce.

• An Event on the Sexual Harassment Act: Exploring the importance of awareness, education, and action surrounding workplace safety.

• Lunch and Learn Sessions: We are launching a series of online sessions focused on women’s health and wellbeing, covering topics such as:

  • Menopause and work/life balance

  • Neurodivergence in the workplace

  • Period poverty and raising awareness

  • Recognising the signs of endometriosis – don’t live in pain

These sessions aim to educate, empower, and support our community in creating healthier, more inclusive workplaces.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Lauren Pizzey

Finally, we say goodbye and express our deepest gratitude to Lauren Pizzey, who has served as Chair of WISH South East for over five years. Lauren's dedication, leadership, and vision have played an instrumental role in growing WISH South East into the vibrant network it is today. Lauren, we wish you the very best for the future and thank you for everything you’ve done to champion women in housing.

As we move into the new year, we look forward to continuing our mission to connect, support, and inspire women across the South East. Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming events, and thank you for being a part of the WISH community!