Over 100 business women and men from across South Yorkshire attended the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce's Women in Business event to celebrate International Women's Day.
Supported by the Chamber, the group meet regularly to come up with ideas and opportunities for creative, inspiring and interactive ways for women to network, learn, signpost and share with each other.
Sponsored by Airmaster, Berneslai Homes, Rotherham Together Partnership, Zeun Digital, Picture Perfect Photography and Mitsubishi Electric, highlighted the achievements, challenges and role of women in both a personal and professional capacity.
Speakers included several female business leaders from across the region including author and mental health advocate Kathryn Littlewood; award-winning managing director of Thermotex Chloe Watmore; Gulliver's managing director Julie Dalton and Chamber president Lisa Pogson. The clear message was that women can do anything, be anything and achieve anything.
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Julie Dalton, mother of two and managing director of Gulliver's Theme Parks (pictured, right), said: "It was a real pleasure to be asked to speak for Women in Business at their annual International Women's Day event. The day was brilliant, celebrating and reflecting on the contribution women make to the community through business. I am very pleased to say most of our senior leadership team at Gulliver's consists of women - not because we have cherry picked - but because they were the best candidates and most qualified for the job."
Among the presentations female entrepreneurs and their children hosted "Sofa Chats" inspired by the Listening Project and developed by the BBC and National Archives, which explored the life of working mums from both sides. These included Rotherham-based Grimm & Co founding director Deborah Bullivant and her son Luke Dale; filmmaker and entrepreneur Nuzrath Al-Baqir and her daughter Nabeela Mowlana and Graywoods founder Deborah Lockwood and her daughter Danielle.
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This year's theme was #PressforProgress, which marks the 100th anniversary certain women got the vote following the passion and determination of the Suffragette movement. The event highlighted how the role of women changed after this landmark decision and what, if anything, the role of women would be now should this shift in politics not have happened.
Jackie Freeborn, chair of Women in Business and co-host of International Women's Day (pictured, left), said: "This is the third year we have held an International Women's Day event and each year it becomes bigger, better and more passionate. All the Chamber's Women in Business events aim to help business women across Barnsley and Rotherham by providing support through collaboration to ensure they can grow and develop.
"The real success of the event was to find how guests felt inspired, uplifted and motivated after hearing moving, funny and truly inspirational stories from our guest speakers and hosts.
"I would like to say a huge thank you to every single person who joined us to help celebrate International Women's Day. We are already making plans for our 2019 event!"
Rotherham-based manufacturer and installer, Yorkshire Windows, is back in business having ceased trading at the start of the year.
The firm, which had a turnover of £9.5m, said that it had been hit by late payments in the commercial sector and that all 84 employees had been served notice of redundancy.
Now commercial director Ian Chester, who has worked at the company for over 15 years, has set up a new company, IRC (Windows and Doors) Limited, taken on the Yorkshire Windows name, moved premises from Hellaby to Templeborough, and is returning the focus of the business back to the retail sector.
Sheffield insolvency practice Graywoods, was brought in to liquidate the YWC Group which, as well as providing the domestic sector, moved into the commercial sector to supply house builders and local authorities. It enjoyed strong sales in Sheffield and Rotherham thanks to the Government's Decent Homes revamp scheme. Its products were fitted in 20,000 homes in Sheffield and 50% of Rotherham council houses.
Advertisement The specialist in uPVC doors and windows, composite doors, bi-fold doors, conservatories, orangeries, garage doors and roofline products is moving away from the commercial sector and is opening a showroom at Dronfield's Ferndale Garden Centre. It has showrooms in Wickersley and Sheffield and is also looking to develop similar sites serving West and North Yorkshire.
Ian Chester, director of Yorkshire Windows, said: "We are moving away from the commercial market to fully concentrate on the retail side of the business, returning to a model that proved such a great success for Yorkshire Windows over many years.
"We are now working with high end specialist suppliers on creating a brand which has all the assurance of quality that Yorkshire Windows has enjoyed for so long and we are all excited as we prepare to launch some excellent new products.
"As we focus entirely on strengthening our position in the retail market, we were looking for new ways to raise awareness of the Yorkshire Windows brand with the public."
Insolvency documents show that the YWC Group left some £2.3m of debts with around £1.5m of unsecured claims from trade and expense creditors.
A decision to invest over £2m in a new production line at its Hellaby factory coincided with the economic downturn and the company was hit by significantly reduced margins.
Turnover at YWC Group and subsidiaries had halved from £22m a few years earlier to £11m in 2014. The loss of sales volume, managing change and charges associated with new finance arrangements led to losses of £700,000 for 2014.
For the year ending 2015, YWC Group's turnover had reduced to £9.5m with profits posted of £65,000 as the company covered its overheads by being more selective about contracts for the supply of manufactured products and installation.
Leading Rotherham insolvency practice Moorhead Savage has been acquired by Sheffield's newest insolvency firm, Graywoods in a move that will offer expanded business turnaround and recovery services throughout the region and nationally.
Established in RiDO's Moorgate Crofts business centre, the award-winning firm is headed by Paul Moorhead who leads a team offering high quality, professional, impartial and ethical help and debt advice to both companies and individuals.
Graywoods was formed recently when business partners Deborah Lockwood and Adrian Graham left Begbies Traynor after five years. They had previously established Sheffield insolvency practice Hamiltons in 1999.
The acquisition by Graywoods, for an undisclosed sum, takes effect immediately, providing enhanced services to businesses across Yorkshire and beyond.
Advertisement Deborah Lockwood, director at Graywoods, said: "This is a great fit for both firms and comes at an exciting time for Graywoods as we cement our position as an independent insolvency practice with clients across the UK.
"This strategic alliance will bring real benefits for all our clients and we are looking forward to working with Moorhead Savage and its founder Paul Moorhead."
Fellow director Adrian Graham added: "This new team will help maximise our potential to offer support and guidance to the business community and will certainly create a much stronger brand as we continue our planned expansion in the months and years to come.
"The timing is perfect for ourselves, the City Region and for our full network of clients who we are confident will all enjoy enhanced levels of service as a result of this exciting new venture."
Dr Paul Moorhead of Moorhead Savage (pictured, left), added: "Moorhead Savage has grown consistently in a tough market and the time is right to join forces with Graywoods as we plan for a bright future.
"Graywoods and Moorhead Savage share the same ethos and approach to helping clients overcome financial problems and both firms will benefit from working together as we share expertise and resources to provide the best possible service to clients."
