A NEW network has been launched to bring together professional Irish women working in the north of England.
The Network for Professional Women of Irish Heritage in The North of England (WIH) was formally opened on March 8, to mark International Women’s Day, by the Consul General of Ireland for the North of England, Sarah Mangan.
It has been developed by Fréa and The Ireland Funds organisations.
Fréa is a banner charity for three independent and long-established Irish charities based in the North of England, namely Irish Community Care, Liverpool, Irish Community Care Manchester and Leeds Irish Health and Homes.
The Ireland Fund of Great Britain raises money support members of the community in need as well as organisations promoting Irish culture across the country.
The new network launched on International Women's DayMs Mangan spoke at the opening ceremony, which took place at the People’s History Museum in Manchester.
“I am honoured to be involved in launching this Women of Irish Heritage Network for the North of England,” Ms Mangan said.
“The Network is an opportunity to celebrate successful and influential women of Irish heritage and to bring women of Irish ancestry together to affirm their pride in their Irish identity.
“Most importantly, the Network will provide a space for members to learn from each other, to be inspired, and to support, in a spirit of sisterhood, both each other and the wider Irish community through the good work carried out by Fréa and its associated organisations.”
She added: “These organisations, who are also supported by the Irish Government through the Emigrant Support Programme, provide vital support and services to those most in need in the Irish community.”
Carla Stockton-Jones, the UK Managing Director of Stagecoach Group and WIH Chair, also spoke at the event.
“Traditionally women have been taught to be competitive with one another, because there was such a scarcity of jobs at the top,” she said.
“It’s so clear that strategy doesn’t work.
“The truth is that raising each other up and channelling the power of collaboration is truly how we’ll change the equation - and have a lot more fun along the way.”
She added: “We all know that building up a good business network has become essential to business success – whether you are a manager needing support as you forge your way up the corporate ladder, or an entrepreneur embroiled in the challenges of finding clients for your own business, and how powerful could a network be when you all share a common heritage.
“I’m delighted to be Chairing and helping to develop a network that will bring Women of Irish Heritage in the North of England together to share our experiences and culture and in doing so also reaching out to our broader Irish community in need through Fréa, who also need our support.”
Professional Irish women of Irish Heritage from across the north of England attended the event, to celebrate WIH’s launch.
Those gathered enjoyed a spot of networking at the launch event“WIH is a non-profit organisation which will bring together the rich community of professional women of Irish backgrounds, who live and work in the North of England and enable them to share their diversity of talent and expertise and, scope for networking and mentoring,” a Fréa spokesperson confirmed.
“Any funds raised from events will go to support the work of organisations who help vulnerable members of our Irish communities in the north of England.”
