May 2022:

The inaugural UKREiiF 3-day property event was held in Leeds with one of the aims being to be the most diverse and inclusive. As an Advisory Board Member, I worked with BE Networking on their plans to achieve this. We have had great feedback from the event. 

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At UKREiiF I joined Atkins/ Faithful + Gould on their panel discussion about "action not words" and spoke at the Freehold/ TFT LGBT+ fringe net-walking event.

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LGBT+ in FM have launched our Inclusive Toilets Guide

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April 2022:

The Sheffield Property Association have produced their EDI strategy, and invited me to speak at their launch event of a series of Diversity and Inclusion seminars.

 

March 2022:

For national reading week, my local school, Lawnswood School, invited me in to do a careers talk with their Y8 students, they had to ask questions to try and work out what I did. 

 

LGBT+ in FM launched our Inclusive Recruitment Guide. 

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February 2022:

For Race Equality Week, I chaired Fortel's lunch and learn webinar "Action not just words" with BPIC, BAME in Property and Tru Powell.

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Morgan Sindall Nuclear celebrated LGBT+ History Month by inviting me in to talk about LGBT+ history from ancient history to modern day.

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As part of Fortel's Make It Stick campaign, I visited the HS2 Mace Dragados project to carry out LGBT+ ally training on site.

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January 2022:

I joined a discussion group with IWFM to look at how their awards can be more inclusive. 

 

December 2021:

I was interviewed by New Civil Engineer discussing the benefits of mentoring in the construction industry as a Director of STEER Support & Mentoring.

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November 2021:

As part of the my STEER Support & Mentoring role, I joined the Diversity & Inclusion stage at London Build, talking about tangible action we could take to improve diversity.

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I have joined the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Focus Group, which was launched with a webinar explaining why it is important to this huge industry.

 

October 2021:

For National Inclusion Week, I spoke with Fortel about what United For Inclusion means for the construction industry. A short video can be found here

 

I supported Turner & Townsend with their Yorkshire & North East LGBT+ roundtable discussion.

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September 2021:

I joined the judging panel for the Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Awards again this year, assessing the entries of two categories. The shortlist can be found here, the winners will be at the awards dinner in November.

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July 2021:

LGBT+ in FM and The Business Services Association (BSA) hosted an inclusive procurement session focused on the facilities management industry. I joined a number of panellists talking about my experience of the procurement process and where it could be improved from a diversity and inclusion perspective. LGBT+ in FM and The BSA intend to follow this up with a guidance document.

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As part of Fortel's Hard Hat Sticker Scheme, I carried out the Fortel/ Building Equality LGBTQ+ training at a Balfour Beatty site in Hull. More details here.

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May 2021:

I chaired Fortel's first lunch & learn session "Creating safer spaces for women in the built environment" with speakers from UN Women, White Ribbon and Birmingham City Council.

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The Inspire Awards shortlist has been announced. As a judge I get to see all the great entries that come in and it was very hard to decide in the categories I judged. In the other categories it was great to see one of my clients Fortel Group get shortlisted for Most Inspiring Supplier and STEER mentor Marianne McCallum be shortlisted in the Most Inspiring Mentor category. The final is in July.

 

April 2021:

LGBT+ in Facilities Management were interviewed for an article in FM Journal about the network and the aims to make the industry inclusive for all. It can be read here.

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March 2021:

It was a busy time for International Women's Day. I joined RIBA East Midlands for a " Conversation with Sharon Slinger" session. I also joined Nottingham Trent University for their Women's Development Programme celebration as a guest panelist to speak to the mentees on the programme. And closer to home we celebrated some of the amazing women who live in Weetwood Ward with this video.

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UKREiiF (The UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum) launched this month, with a focus on diversity, sustainability and skills development, I have joined the advisory group. The main event will be May 2022.

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I joined a Sir Robert McAlpine hosted virtual roundtable with government representatives discussing the Future of flexible working and how we can incorporate in everyday working lives. 

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February 2021:

I joined a panel of speakers talking about "Improving company performance through EDI" for the Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists. The webinar can be found here

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January 2021:

At the Built Environment Networking Wellbeing and Diversity event, I chaired the "Integrating Complex EDI Strategies & Collaborating Across the Industry" session with key industry clients who have diversity high on their agendas

 

November 2020:

As part of the Civil Engineering course at University of Bolton, I gave a guest lecture on diversity and inclusion to the first year students.

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RE Women invited me to join a working group to create an anti-racism manifesto for the industry. I would encourage your organisation to sign up to it.

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Nottingham Trent University host an annual Women in the Built Environment event where the students can hear from women across the industry about their careers. I was invited along to share my story.

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October 2020:

Pleased to have been asked to judge the Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Awards again this year. Details of the finalists can be found here

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September 2020:

I joined a panel discussion on "Alternative Families" hosted by Core Recruitment. The zoom recording can be watched here.

On Tuesday nights, there is a twitter chat #pmchat, I was invited along to host the session with a focus on diversity and inclusion in project management.

 

August 2020:

TM:TV did a live webinar "Building an inclusive property industry" where I joined a diverse panel of industry professionals sharing personal stories about struggles we have faced in the workplace, and the positive move forward that our industry is making to address them. The video can be seen here

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July 2020:

For pride season, Pride in Property hosted a series of "Coffee with the CEO" chats. I joined RICS Managing Director, Matt Howell, and Kelly Canterford from Changing the Face of Property, for an open conversation around what the professional institutions and wider industry can be doing better to support diversity and inclusion.

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June 2020:

Built Environment Networking held an online Wellbeing and Diversity conference, where I was invited to join a panel about LGBTQ+ in Construction with other industry representatives.

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May 2020:

I joined industry leaders on a Built Environment Networking webinar discussing the "Post Coronavirus Landscape - Preparing for challenges and opportunities" with DLA Piper.

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April 2020:

We interviewed with I-FM, talking about Inclusivity at the frontline within the facilities management industry, and how LGBT+ in FM are supporting members through Covid-19.

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March 2020:

The Construction Industry Council launched the Roadmap for Change at Futurebuild in London. A collaborative piece of work with other members of the Diversity & Inclusion Panel.

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February 2020:

I presented at The Business Services Association HR committee talking about the work of LGBT+ in Facilities Management

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Built Environment Networking held a York event where I was exhibiting.

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January 2020:

I have now been appointed Diversity Officer for Leeds North West Liberal Democrats focusing on ensuring a diverse representation of society within the local party.

 

November 2019:

LGBT+ in Facilities Management held their third event at Amnesty UK, with guest speaker from Pinsent Masons. Details can be found here.

 

I facilitated a diversity and inclusion workshop at Construction Industry Council Yorkshire & Humber with industry representatives, discussing what we want our industry to look like in 30 years.

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We celebrated gaining our RICS Fellowship with other new Fellows at RICS HQ, this year being a record for the number of women becoming fellows. The Women in Surveying group being instrumental in supporting women through the process.

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October 2019:

CIBSE have launched their inclusivity guidelines to help their members and staff understand the inclusion topic and how they can address it. It was good to support CIBSE with this piece of work, which gives some really tangible ideas how everyone can get involved.

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September 2019:

I was invited to speak at the Sir Robert McAlpine 150th Celebrations which took place in London and Manchester, celebrating the people and projects of the last 150 years.

 

At the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, I joined an industry panel, representing the RICS, discussing how diversity can help to address the skills shortage.

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August 2019:

Fun family day out at Leeds Pride walking with Building Equality, and some of my clients, celebrating the LGBT community in our industry.

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July 2019:

I have been invited to join the Construction Industry Council Yorkshire and Humber board as the RICS representative. Looking forward to collaborating with the other industry professional institutions.

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June 2019:

I participated in an Openland event in Birmingham where we discussed local market conditions and diversity and inclusion within the industry - details can be found here

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The Inspire Awards were held in Manchester to celebrate Diversity and Inclusion within our industry. I was proud to present the Most Inspiring Mentor Award to Anjana Raj from Sir Robert McAlpine.

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May 2019:

I joined a panel discussion at the Buro Four Diversity and Inclusion in Construction Conference in London discussing "Recruiting Diverse Talent - What Worked?"

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Pleased to have been invited to talk at the PwC Yorkshire & Humber Construction and Real Estate dinner. Topics included Data, Disruption and Diversity.

April 2019:

Very excited that STEER has been shortlisted for an Inspire Award for the Most Inspiring Community Project Looking forward to the awards dinner in June.

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March 2019:

For International Women's Day I talked to the RICS about how more female role models should become FRICS. The article can be found here.

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February 2019:

It's LGBT History Month, so pleased to have been asked to join a panel for a Freehold and RICS joint event. Samantha McClary from Estates Gazette chaired the panel discussion. Details of the event are here.

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January 2019:

New year, new action plans for LGBT+ in FM. As we build momentum within the facilities management industry, it's important to ensure we are focusing on the key issues that can have maximum impact.

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Pleased to announce I have been made a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, hopefully role modelling for more women to apply as currently only 3% of women are Fellows.

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November 2018:

Shropshire Constructing Excellence held their first event tackling gender inequality in the industry. My presentation discussed what we can all do to make the changes needed.

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STEER are very excited to have been shortlisted for the Graduate Initiative of the Year award at the CN Talent Awards.

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October 2018:

I gave the Sir Robert McAlpine senior leadership team a diversity and inclusion masterclass with excellent participation from all.

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September 2018:

The Inspire Summit was held in Manchester, the panel which I was a part of discussed the gender pay gap and how we can narrow it.

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Vinci hosted their biggest LGBT event to date, with consecutive meets in London, Birmingham and Manchester. I was invited to be guest speaker in Manchester.

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August 2018:

Pleased to have been selected to become a Non-Executive member of the RICS Yorkshire and Humber regional board

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July 2018:

As part of LGBTinFM, I recorded an introductory podcast about the LGBT network of networks for the facilities management industry. Companies involved include ISS, Sodexo and Vinci Facilities.

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This month I have been judging the CIBSE Yorkshire Awards. The winners are announced in November.

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The Surveying Sisterhood Summit was launched this month. My video, Diversity and Inclusion Progress Update, with Kate Charrington and Marion Ellis, can be found by signing up to Women in Surveying.

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June 2018:

The Inspire Awards dinner was a success, I was proud to present an award to Skills4 Ltd. for Most Inspiring Training Provider.

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This month I did a podcast and webinar about diversity and inclusion for Construction Coach and D2N2 1hrtochange webinars for SME's and microbusinesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The podcast is available for all here.

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May 2018:

I had a lovely evening celebrating the Asian Women of Achievement Awards. These awards really highlight the talented Asian women who are contributing to British life, but who often go under the radar.

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We had our first advisory panel meeting for the Leeds Beckett Centre for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Education. It is a centre for research and practice to support LGBTQ+ teachers and students in primary to higher education.

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April 2018:

Pleased to be working with Space Solutions as part of their Strategic Facilities Review division, on one of their major contracts.

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I have been judging the entries for The Inspire Awards, which highlights and rewards the great work that many people and companies are doing around diversity and inclusion in the UK Construction engineering and housing industry

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March 2018:

Nottingham Women in Construction invited me to come and speak about diversity and inclusion in construction and how I help companies with their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategies. A recording of the session can be found here.

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February 2018:

I have completed Mental Health First Aid training, a 2 day course with Inclusive Minds. Construction has the highest suicide rate of any industry in the UK, and we all have a duty to look out for each other.

 

I had opportunity to meet the new members of the RICS Women of the Future Network, at a lunch with the CEO, Sean Tompkins and Director of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Gillian Charlesworth at the RICS headquarters in London.

 

 

January 2018:

This month I am commencing as a diversity and inclusion panel member for the Construction Industry Council.

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December 2017:

The board of Selby Educational Trust have approved my appointment as a Non-Executive Director, looking forward to getting fully involved in the new year.

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I am delighted to be a judge for the 2018 Northern Power Women Awards. It is great to read about all the amazing talented women we have here in The North.

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November 2017:

I am currently working with a family owned plant hire company near York. Working with the Managing Director creating and implementing company policies, completing prequalification questionnaires, and carrying out general commercial management duties.

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October 2017:

Pleased to announce I have been included on the OUTstanding & Financial Times Top 50 LGBT+ Future list

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I am presenting at an LGBT+ event for London Constructing Excellence Club, and a link to my slides can be found here