Cumbria's She Leads Programme Hosts Roundtable Meet

• The She Leads initiative in Cumbria reached a milestone with a midpoint roundtable event
• Participants came together to reflect on experiences and progress so far in the programme
• The initiative is one that supports career growth and personal development of women professionals

Cumbria's She Leads initiative has reached its first milestone, with a roundtable event where participants gathered as the end point of the programme approaches, representing the halfway point of this 12 month project.

The initiative was set up by NRL - that has been recruiting people into engineering and the construction sector for over forty years - on the back of gaining the support of in-Cumbria magazine.

The initiative is designed to help support the professional and personal development of women from across Cumbria. A number of women from across the county were chosen to nominate them for the programme, which included one-to-one mentoring.

To date, a number of participants have already identified significant changes in their careers, including promotions, launching into new roles as leaders, and having opportunities to speak to Members of Parliament about their work.

Mentors who are in the scheme are Rebecca Graves (NRL); Gill Haigh (Cumbria Tourism); Rachel Seal (David Allen); Joy Yates (Newsquest Cumbria); Kelly Ashbridge (Cumberland Building Society); Sharon Brook (North Lakes Hotel & Spa and Langdale Chase Hotel).

The mentees themselves are from a range of interesting backgrounds, which have careers in community development, law, the care sector, women's safety, hospitality, and environmental management.

In Penrith, a roundtable event at North Lakes Hotel & Spa allowed the mentors and mentees to discuss their experiences, covering topics like career progression, self-doubt, pressures, and barriers in the workplace.

The changing face of workplace cultures was also considered by participants as they highlighted advocacy, recognition, and active career development.

Attendees have also highlighted how the relationships within mentoring have been positive for everyone, building confidence in mentees to move into new opportunities and mentors gaining insights from support.

Important points learned from the discussion included the value of mentorship at any stage in an individual's career, and recognizing time and support as one of the significant contributions one can make.

NRL's Rebecca Graves said she was grateful for the evening, explaining that to see the programme in action and to hear the experiences of participants was an important milestone. She Leads will now move into the second half of its programme, running through spring 2026.