More than 140 guests attended the launch of ‘Inspiring Women’, a new group aimed at improving ratios of businesswomen and increasing their visibility within the city.

The group is supported by Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and chaired by Suzanne Liversidge, managing partner of Halliwells, who warmly welcomed guests to the event at the Hilton Hotel.

Suzanne paid tribute to Yorkshire fund-raiser Jane Tomlinson and Body Shop founder Dame Anita Roddick who both passed away recently, while telling the audience: “Who knows, we may have the next high-profile inspirational woman right here in this room”. 

Guest speaker Julie Kenny CBE DL, the managing director of award-winning Pyronix Ltd, gave a moving and humorous account of her personal and professional lives and how her experiences have made her the woman she is today. Julie is a mum of three, the Deputy Lieutenant of South Yorkshire and a board member of Yorkshire Forward, Creative Sheffield and South Yorkshire Partnership Board.

Said Suzanne: “Julie’s message was ‘whatever you want to do, set yourself goals and go out and achieve them’ - and that really sums up the motivation behind Inspiring Women. 

“We are not claiming that businesswomen in Sheffield are disadvantaged. It is about increasing the visibility of the fantastic women who work in our city region through key activities - Support and Mentoring, Training and Education and Networking and Events.

“Julie embodies the ethos of this new group and helped launch Inspiring Women with a speech that was motivational as well as heart-warming and humorous.”

The event also provided food for thought with a ‘working lunch’ – an Inspiring Women board member joined each table of guests to discuss the issues facing city businesswomen, while attendees were also invited to submit suggestions and ideas for the group’s future activities. 

Added Suzanne: “Our mission is for our ‘power events’ to offer real value to business – where the guests gain the knowledge and skills for self-development which, in turn, will boost the group itself. “We’re very pleased that this first event helped kick-start this mission by getting us off to such a successful start.”