EU Business Debate

With everyone's attention on the EU referendum, Pink Shoe held its own debate to help members and colleagues make a decision on this momentous and historic vote.

With such a huge topic, it was decided that the focus was to be specifically on business for the audience of leading entrepreneurs, professionals and parliamentarians.

The debate ‘In or Out – which is better for British Business?’ was lively, engaging and highly informative. The speakers were all superb and each put across their case with gusto and a wide range of knowledge and know-how.

The speaker order was balloted, so first we heard from The Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, leader of the House of Commons, eloquent and persuasive on behalf of Vote Leave. 

Then it was time for Baroness Kramer, followed by Labour MP Emma Reynolds, both passionately articulating a well-founded case for StrongerIn. 

Finally, Bernard Jenkin MP spoke for Vote Leave, again with passion, he put across some highly rational arguments.

After the presentations, the splendid chairman Professor Tim Evans, Professor of Business & Political Economy at Middlesex University, introduced our additional panellists, lawyer and director of Women for Britain (Vote Leave) Olivia Cooper; and Alex Mitchell, Executive Vice President of the European Confederation Young Entrepreneurs, which has 60,000members across europe. 

The debate was opened to the floor for some excellent questions from delegates. Topics ranged from the wisdom of President Obama's strong intervention on Britain leaving the EU;  the real cost of membership and 'balancing the books'; to whether red tape would be reduced if the UK votes to leave.

All too soon we had to end, with many delegates remarking that they had learned a huge amount from the brilliant speakers and panel. Several saying that the evening had persuaded them 'off the fence' and they'd been able to decide which way to vote in June.

After the debate we adjourned to Parliament Street for a reception and lots more discussion on the EU accompanied by a selection of English, French and Italian wines and cheeses!

Images from  official Pink Shoe Photographer Sharron Wallace 

www.sharronwallace.com 

BoardAble Programme and Aperitivo

The first session of Pink Shoe's latest BoardAble Shadowing programme was held for the successful candidates of the Spring 2016 cohort.

Delegates were out through their paces from the start, going through a mock boardroom exercise then receiving feedback and individual learning points from trained senior board-level observers. 

Following a rigourous day, delegates were able to relax with other Pink Shoe members at the April Aperitivo.

UN Future of Cities

Pink Shoe Ambassador Jacqueline Winstanley, who leads on Inclusive Entrepreneurship for our UK Economic Blueprint for Women, was honoured to receive an invitation from Professor Diana Davis, Founding President of International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC) to attend a High Level Meeting  'The Future of Cities' at the UN Headquarters in New York. 

The meeting was organised in support of the 2030 Agenda including the Sustainable development Goals.The programme included  the ICCC Awards Ceremony ‘Raising the Roof’.

This was a fabulous opportunity for Jacqueline to listen and contribute to the debate. 

Presentations from the Global Architects of the Future were very impressive and filled with innovation - humanitarianism in the pursuit of intergenerational Cities around the world.

The meeting was followed by a Gala reception and Concert in the delegates’ Dining Room overlooking the Hudson River by moonlight with an equally impressive Musical Programme. It is certainly true that Music touches the Soul and can unite all Nations.

Jacqueline thanks Professor Davis for the kind invitation and her continued hospitality of Afternoon Tea overlooking Central Park the following day.

She is looking forward to working with Professor Davis and her colleagues going forward. Following the UN meeting, Jacqueline joined ICCC at April’s prestigious invitation-only Windsor Consultation at Windsor Castle.

Alice Instone Private View

To brilliantly round off IWD 2016 was the Private View of ‘The Pram in the Hall’ from artist Alice Instone, the title taken from the Cyril Connolly quote.

Alice highlighted the pressures and juggling of women’s lives by using women’s ‘To Do’ lists to create fabulous art.

The concept came from Alice’s own experiences and she has created a series of seven prints, overlaying her personal lists and using lists from many well-known women, showing just what a diverse range of tasks women carry out - from the mundane to the marvellous!

It was inspiring to see too the lists brought along by a variety of women and pegged onto ‘washing lines’. 

International Women's Day Afternoon Tea

Ambassador members enjoyed a delightful and very special afternoon tea in the Peers’ Dining Room of the House of Lords, hosted by our friend Baroness Burt of Solihull. 

Lorely was a wonderful host and conversation ranged from our collective work on the first UK Economic Blueprint to our #pledgeforparity promises in line with this year’s IWD theme.

Annual IWD Lecture

A Most Independent Member’: Eleanor Rathbone MP (1872-1946), by Dr Susan Cohen

The subject of this year’s Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art’s International Women’s Day Lecture was the fabulously feisty Eleanor Rathbone. A pioneer of the women’s suffrage movement and a lifelong campaigner for women’s rights.

Rathbone is an unsung heroine of the twentieth century and this year marks the 70th anniversary of her death.

We enjoyed a fascinating lecture from Dr Susan Cohen, historian and author of ‘Rescue the Perishing: Eleanor Rathbone and the Refugees’ (2010) and co-founder of the Remembering Eleanor Rathbone Group. 

Dr Cohen's talk revealed a most remarkable woman, celebrating Eleanor Rathbone's life and embracing her diverse humanitarian activism.

As an independent MP Eleanor Rathbone argued tirelessly for a family allowance paid direct to mothers and saw this become law in 1945.

Admiralty House Reception with The Rt Hon Matthew Hancock MP

Pink Shoe Ambassadors and the latest cohort of our BoardAble programme were at Admiralty House to discuss Public Appointments. 

The Government continues to strive to achieve greater diversity in Public Appointments. Having successfully reached the level of 44% for women in such roles there is still an emphasis on encouraging ever wider diversity. 

This was clear from an inspiring address from the Minister, Matt Hancock, calling upon everyone present not only to apply themselves but to pass the message on to our various networks - if each of us introduces another 12 people, then the benefits of public appointees from the widest possible talent pool will be felt across the country.

Further inspiration came from the keynote speaker, Natalie Campbell, who gave her top tips for obtaining a public appointment - apply...apply again.. and go geek! 

Natalie explained she'd applied three times for her role, believing strongly that she had the right mix of skills and experience to truly add value. It was at the third try she 'went geek' to gather masses of information and approached the application with a truly tailored approach of her own USPs and how they matched the position. 

It worked, and Natalie continues to make a big difference – a role model for us all.

This illustrates that a different approach is required when applying for a public role rather than to the private sector. 

Its why Pink Shoe set up its BoardAble programme to support people already fully capable of taking up a Ministerial Public Appointment, but to expedite the process by providing shadowing experience with those already doing the job along with tips and insights into these differences in the application process.

The evening continued with animated networking with the brilliant women and men present from across all sectors of business and professional life.