Women in Business Working Group

Who are we and what do we do?
The main job of the Rotherham Chamber Women In Business Working Group is to work with Chamber staff to organise 4 quarterly Networking events. The team has been succesfully doing this for nearly 5 years. Other activities include bringing businesswomen together through Mentoring, Surgeries and Training.

We send out a monthly Newsletter by email which keeps you informed about our activites, what speakers we have coming up at our events.

Women In Business Terms of Reference

1. To encourage women in business across all industries to network and provide education about business networking.
2. To provide events and support for women who want to network with other women.
3. To encourage women to rise within the local business community including representing the Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.
4. To identify difficulties of inequality that may be faced by women in business and provide information and support to help combat them.
5. To highlight the efforts and successes of those who promote equality in the workforce.

The Women In Business group within Rotherham Chamber of Commerce will provide support by:

1. Holding our quarterly lunch event where women can share information out of the workplace in a relaxed environment, network and receive information from speakers and organisations relevant to women in business.
2. Providing information through separate events and seminars affecting women in business, prescribed by the needs of women in business.
3. Providing an effective way to network and generate new business.
4. Providing information in the differing challenges facing employed and self-employed women.
5. Informing women in business of the ways in which Rotherham Chamber of Commerce can offer support and business development services.

Jane Egan - Chair
Rebus Creative

Jane Egan is the current Chair of the Women in Business group at Rotherham and Barnsley Chamber of Commerce. Jane is also Managing Director of Rebus Creative. Rebus is a marketing agency specialising in branding, creative and marketing strategy. The company provides clients with a hands on strategic approach to marketing to ensure their businesses are reaching their potential.

Jane is a qualified graphic designer and has played an active role in the
Women In Business group for the last 3 years and is passionate about helping anyone wanting to work for themselves and run their own company.

Jessica Zeun BSc(hons) - Vice Chair
JD Approach Ltd

Jessica is a Director at web development and IT training company, JD Approach and is also an Associate Lecturer in Computing and Information Systems at Sheffield Hallam University . Jessica has worked in the IT industry for 9 years and held a number of positions in IT service, support and management.  She is Vice Chair of the BR Chamber Women in Business Group, and an MYM Ambassador for Women. Her interest in supporting women centres around a passion to assist other women to achieve success in male dominated industries and to encourage girls to take more of an interest in the STEM subjects.

www.approachitsolutions.com

Angela Anson
Small Office Support.

Angela provides excellent administrative support and is a very active member of the Women in Business working group. Angela also runs Small Office Support, offering virtual PA and admin services to a range of businesses and is also an avid beekeeper.

www.small-office-support.co.uk
www.hesleyhoney.com

Julie Hardwick
Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce

Julie joined Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce in October 2008 as Business Development Manager. Julie is mainly from a financial background, having worked for a bank for 18 years. She then went on to train as an Independent Financial Advisor and Mortgage Advisor. Before joining the team here at the Chamber, Julie worked for a local media and print company. Julies leisure time is spent playing squash, socialising with friends, cooking, walking, generally relaxing and having fun!

Yvonne Pennington
Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce

Yvonne joined the Chamber in 2005 as Business Development Manager within the Commercial Division assisting in the recruitment and retention of member companies. Prior to this Yvonne had a long career in the free trade sector of the Brewing and Drinks Industry and a 5-year period spent in Spain working within the property market. Yvonne`s interests outside of work are spending time with her daughter, music, being in the countryside, reading and the very occasional game of tennis.

Linda Darlington
Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce

Linda Darlington has been with Barnsley Chamber for 14 yrs and in that time she has done most things within the commercial Dept. Her main role has been Membership, but Linda has done Event Management, Focus Groups and was responsible for initiating Women in Business and the Patrons programme which are both extremely successful. On a personal note, Linda is married with 2 children and 2 grandsons who keep her very busy. She enjoys reading, walking and the theatre.

Alison Fernandes
Irwin Mitchell

Alison is an Associate Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors based in Sheffield.   She specialises in helping clients with family law issues to find practical and amicable solutions. Alison is a trained collaborative lawyer and Resolution Accredited Specialist, who can bring constructive and creative ideas to all areas of family law.  Alison specialises in cases involving family businesses and has many clients in the South Yorkshire business community.  She is therefore passionate about serving the local business community and helping it move forward to strengthen the area's economy and future.
Alison is a member of the Barnsley Area Council for the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and is specifically interested in promoting the interests of women in business.  As a women working in law, which is an area often perceived to be male dominated,  Alison has first hand experience of the challenges women can face in business.  She is therefore available to help and mentor members facing similar challenges.

Jane Verrall
Evolve image and colour consultancy
Hickton - Director

Jane divides her time between her own successful image consultancy business - evolve and the award winning clerk of works consultancy - Hickton. Having initially trained as a teacher she moved to private industry in 1999 and became a Director of Hickton in 2004. Her strengths are in business development, strategic planning and people. Although the industries she works in are poles apart Jane is clear that it is how you do business that ensures success, regardless of the type of business you are in. It is this belief and the practical realities of making it work that she hopes to share through her role on the women in business working group. With two young children, Jane is also aware of the balancing act that many women in business undertake. She believes the WiB events are ideal for building networks and providing inspiration to support and develop women all across the region.

www.evolveimage.co.uk
www.hickton.co.uk