Can Women Shatter the Glass Celling?

Last Friday Conservative Future Women hosted a joint debate with the Conservative Future Policy Forum on the challenges of seeing more women in senior leadership positions in business. We were lucky to have a distinguished panel of top females including:


- Claire Noyce (CEO of Hybridan)
- Marina Yannakoudakis (London MEP)
- Susan Greenwood (Destiny CIC)
- Natalie Campbell (CEO of A Very Good Company)


The debate was chaired by Conservative Future Women's Policy Director Elizabeth Anderson and all of the panel agreed that aspiration and education were key to empowering women to achieve. After a lively debate between the panel and the floor of approximately 50 people Elizabeth concluded by asking the panel what practical methods women can 'shatter the glass celling' including:


- Change your own view of success
- Don't wait for others to make it happen
- Look out for opportunities to join boards of even local and social enterprises
- Be confident when pitching for investment for business ventures
- Make sure that you have the skills that are needed- not technical or hard but soft skills such as communication and inter-personal skills


Well done to our panelists for their expertise, Elizabeth for chairing so efficiently and our audience for participating so enthusiastically!


To read more click here


Conservative Future Women's next event will be a networking skills event in September 2012. Look here for more details.

Sun Shines in Waddon on Historic Day

Today, tens of thousands of people lined the streets across the borough to witness the Olympic Torch's path through Croydon.

After passing the Town Hall and Queens's Gardens the torch was carried into Waddon along Southbridge Road, Duppas Hill Road and then onto Warrington Road where the Olympic convoy stopped for lunch.

At St Andrew's School, hundreds of school pupils from schools within the Waddon Inclusion Network (WIN) had turned out to welcome the Olympic Flame that was carried by Sir Patrick Stewart. As soon as he approached the choir from St Andrew's broke into song and pupils from Aerodrome and Howard Primary Schools danced with hula-hoops symbolising the Olympic Rings.

Many thanks to St Andrew's School for inviting me to this historic occasion, for the excellent lunch that they provided and to the pupils and parents for their enthusiasm and excitement. 

Conservative Future at Downing Street

Last Monday, 120 Conservative Future activists were invited to Downing Street so that the Prime Minister could thank them for their campaigning efforts before and since the 2010 general election.

This event was a culmination of lobbying over the last few years by Ben Howlett and myself. When we were elected to National Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Conservative Future in September 2010 our organisation was described as the 'black sheep' of the Conservative Party. Since then Conservative Future has undergone substantial changes, resulting in Conservative Future being a more professional, efficient and respected movement. 

A big thank you to Party Co-Chairman Sayeeda Warsi and Vice-Chairman of CF Andrew Stephenson MP for believing in us and to Ben Howlett who has worked closely with them throughout his Chairmanship, culminating in this reception.

Lastly a HUGE congrats to all of the Conservative Future activists who have campaigned in the rain, wind or snow enabling David Cameron to be in No. 10. We may have a Coalition Government but at least it's Conservative-led!