The Oakridge Centre International Women’s Day Event

Join superb speakers, amazing achievers, champion challengers, and positive people to celebrate International Women’s Day 2021. #IWD2021

About this Event

The past 12 months have been challenging for everyone. Work has changed. Family life has changed. Leisure time has changed. We have all had to change.

On International Women’s Day, Monday 8 March, you are invited to spend time with inspirational, upbeat and forward-looking people who will inspire, impress and motivate you to face the challenges of 2021.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge encouraging everyone to challenge gender bias and inequality as from challenge comes change. The Oakridge Centre invites you to celebrate women’s achievements and find out what more we could all be doing as we #ChooseToChallenge.

Provisional Agenda

• Welcome by Brigit Egan, The Oakridge Centre MD (see biography below)
• Guest Speaker – Claire Huson (see biography below) Breaking Through a Protective Bubble – refusing to be held back by the past.
• Breakout Room activity / Networking opportunity
• Guest Speaker – Steph Bryant, The Christie (see biography below) Sharing stories of inspirational women who are shaping the future of cancer care and patient services at The Christie
• Breakout Room activity / Networking opportunity
• Group activity led by Brigit Inclusion– what does it take to make you feel included? Choose to challenge – in the future what are you going to challenge in the workplace? Bystander awareness – what are you taking away that will ensure you are an active bystander in the future?
• Outputs from group activity, thank you & close at 2pm

Your guest speakers:

Claire Huson – Breaking Through a Protective Bubble – refusing to be held back by the past.

Claire Huson shares her journey through serious ill-health to career success with great candour and humour combined with a positive message regarding facing challenges head on. ‘Sickly’ is one of the labels that Claire’s health concerns have generated along with other preconceptions from colleagues and family. Claire appreciates that these unconscious biases normally come from a place of support and kindness, however she is keen to not be stereotyped in this way; to move on and not be held back by her past. Claire speaks openly about her 20-year career as a Scientist, about the last 10 years working for a multi-national pharmaceutical company and discusses the fact that the main limitation to career progression has been experience, rather than gender. Join us on International Women’s Day to hear Claire’s story which shows us that we often do not know what we are capable of until we need to face a challenge and the importance of celebrating all achievements, no matter how small.

Steph Bryant – The Christie charity

Steph Bryant is a Corporate Fundraiser at The Christie charity, a cancer charity that provides enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds at The Christie hospital. The Christie is the largest single site cancer centre in Europe, treating over 44,000 patients every year across Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

The charity exists to fund new building developments, state of the art equipment, posts and research, ensuring that The Christie is at the leading edge of cancer care. Steph will share stories of inspirational women who are shaping the future of cancer care and patient services at The Christie in their roles as clinicians, researchers and patients.

Your host

Brigit Egan – The Oakridge Centre

Brigit is Managing Director and Shareholder of The Oakridge Centre – an international consultancy practice that specialises in Global Leadership, Team Development, Change Management and Coaching activities.

Brigit has pioneered work with global leadership and management teams in the public, private and not-for-profit sector environments for over 20 years. An experienced speaker, facilitator and coach Brigit draws on her training and experience as a Master Practitioner in NLP as well as her high level corporate experience and leadership and coaching work with thousands of professional, to provide effective programmes that help clients achieve desired growth and change.

Brigit has won the National Network Women of Achievement Award, was listed in Yorkshire Business Insider Magazine as one of Yorkshire’s most Influential Business Women and has been short listed two years running for Forward Ladies’ Inspiring Leader award.

Register HERE.

We look forward to seeing you on Monday 8 March #IWD2021