Why this matters
These awards matter because we still, in 2022, need to talk about diversity and inclusion, to break the chains that bind us. The West Country is an absolute hotbed of talent but it is so often unrecognised – and we are setting out to change that.
We know that one of the main reasons women are held back is because they don’t put themselves forward and our experiences of running networking groups here in the south west have shown us that peer-to-peer support, informal mentoring and inspirational speakers and events rocket-fuel their confidence.
We believe most strongly in the ‘if you can see it, you can be it’ philosophy.
And our findings are backed up by one of the biggest banks on the planet. Natwest’s Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship 2020 revealed that ‘barriers to women’s progress include a lack of confidence, peer mentoring and networking’. It identified ‘The Imposter Syndrome’ as a key factor in inhibiting women’s self development (I know all about that!).
