Chamber celebrates women driving change at Inspiring Women in Business Conference
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Inspirational stories of resilience, leadership and action were shared at the North East Chamber of Commerce’s Inspiring Women in Business Conference, sponsored by digital infrastructure specialists Pulsant.
Held at Ramside Hall Hotel, the annual conference brought together over 150 business leaders, entrepreneurs and community figures under the theme Accelerate Action, calling on organisations to take practical steps to create inclusive, fair and thriving workplaces.
Opening the event, Aneela Ali, executive director of finance and corporate services at the Chamber, outlined the Chamber’s commitment to its Inspiring Women in Business programme.
“Our programme has grown and developed organically over more than a decade thanks to the commitment of members and colleagues,” she said. “It doesn’t just celebrate success – it drives change and motivates future generations. When women succeed, businesses succeed and communities thrive.”
Conference host Kay Carrick, chair of the Chamber’s Women’s Leadership Forum and development team manager at St Cuthbert’s Hospice, highlighted the impact of “small but meaningful actions” in shaping compassionate, values-driven workplaces.
“Thoughtful policies or simply taking the time for a difficult conversation can transform lives,” she told delegates.
Wendy Shearer, director of partners and ecosystems at Pulsant, underlined why events like this remain vital.
“Only 2% of private equity funding goes to female-founded businesses, and women remain underrepresented in leadership roles. That’s why days like today matter,” she said.
Drawing on stories from her grandmother, mother, sister, daughter and friends, Wendy reflected on lessons of resilience and determination across generations.
“Financial independence is key to freedom. Careers are wiggly lines, not straight paths. Dare to be different, back yourself, and most importantly, lift others. If you can see it, you can be it – and that’s what today is all about.”
Alison Dunn, CEO of Society Matters Group and winner of last year’s Business Leader Award, spoke candidly about entrenched gender inequalities and the role business must play in tackling them.
“Gender inequality is not just about pay packets or statistics – it’s about our safety, our health, our representation and our dignity,” she said. “Building workplaces that enable women to thrive, rather than hold them back, is how we accelerate change. We rise by lifting others.”
Workplace equity panel
A central focus of the conference was a panel on Workplace Equity in Action, chaired by Gill Hunter, Managing Partner at Square One Law and Chair of the British Chambers of Commerce Workplace Equity Commission.
Panellists, including Steph Edusei (St Oswald’s Hospice), Jennie Pitt (Newcastle Building Society), Alexandra Knight (STEMAZING) and Alison Dunn (Society Matters Group), explored how businesses can embed equity in practice.
Themes included values-led leadership, making inclusion part of the core strategy, and inspiring young people early to break down stereotypes. The panel emphasised that equity depends not on policies alone but on daily actions of leaders, with peer support and shared learning key to sustaining change.
Stories of resilience and purpose
Delegates also heard from Steph Capewell, founder and CEO of Love, Amelia. Sharing her journey from personal loss to building a charity that has supported over 25,000 children, she urged delegates not to wait for confidence but to act.
“Confidence doesn’t always come first – action does,” she said. “Start with what you have, where you are. The world doesn’t need perfection; it needs people willing to be real and make a difference.”
An interactive performance from True Colours Theatre Company, blending dance and sign language, brought delegates together in an uplifting session that captured the spirit of inclusion.
Women in sport
Su Cumming, head of women’s football at Newcastle United, reflected on her decades of work growing the women’s game.
From helping six girls form one of Newcastle’s first women’s football teams in the 1980s to now overseeing a professional side with crowds of over 38,000, Su’s story demonstrates the impact of persistence and opportunity.
She noted that if even one young girl takes away the belief to try something new or say yes to playing football, then her work has been worthwhile, momentum matters, and women’s football is proving just how powerful that can be.
Breakout sessions
To conclude the conference, delegates then joined two workshops:
- Led by Dr Lucy Reynolds, We Are All Disabled challenged organisations to think differently about disability by opening up conversations and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, to create real, positive cultural change.
- Norma O’Sullivan, The Way Home Consulting, led a session on authentic leadership and self-worth, encouraging participants to explore their leadership identity.
Closing reflections
Chamber president Deb Walton closed the conference with a call to action. “My overall takeaway is simple – we must lift each other,” she said. “Together, we can accelerate action and create opportunities for everyone to thrive.”
The conference also shone a spotlight on the Inspiring Women in Business Awards 2025, sponsored by Newcastle International Airport. Categories include Business Leader of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, Inspiring Employer and the newly introduced New Business Award for start-ups and sole traders.
The awards ceremony will take place on Friday, 28 November at Newcastle Civic Centre. Delegates and members are encouraged to save the date.
The Inspiring Women in Business Conference took place on Thursday, 4 September at Ramside Hall Hotel, County Durham.
Ends
Download the press photo from the Inspiring Women in Business Conference here.
Image (back l-r): Norma O’Sullivan, The Way Home Consulting; Gill Hunter, Square One Law; Julia James, We Are All Disabled; Ashley Carney, Chamber; Dr Lucy Reynolds, We Are All Disabled; Jennie Pitt, Newcastle Building Society; Wendy Shearer, Pulsant; Su Cumming, NUFC; Alison Dun, Society Matters Group.
(front l-r): Steph Capewell, Love, Amelia; Alexandra Knight, STEMAZING; Steph Edusei, St Oswald’s Hospice; Aneela Ali, Chamber; Deb Walton, Chamber; Kay Carrick, St Cuthbert’s Hospice.