BPW UK is a non party political organisation which lobbies on behalf of working women. BPW members can influence policies which will affect women by talking with decision makers, locally, nationally and internationally. BPW is a member of the European Women’s Lobby, which monitors legislation coming from the European Parliament to see how it will impact on the lives of women. It also has consultative status at the United Nations. BPW was a founder member of the Women’s National Commission and works with other leading women’s groups in the UK who are part of the Top Six.
Given the opportunity to voice their opinion in a small, supportive environment, members gain the confidence to play a fuller part in local life, such as becoming a parish councillor or school governor. Others gain sufficient confidence to take higher office, becoming councillors or mayors in their home town.
Learning to put together a presentation about an issue on which you feel strongly – perhaps mixed sex wards in NHS hospitals or stamp duty on pensions – develops confidence and public speaking skills in a semi formal setting. Note taking, minuting, agenda planning, chairing committees and team working are all useful skills for the workplace.
Each year at conference, members have the opportunity to encourage others to support their point of view. After researching the facts, members can speak about their motion at annual conference. Using a microphone, talking on stage and addressing a large audience are other skills which develop. Other members are pleased to be “critical friends”; explaining where a presentation has gone well or perhaps where some extra guidance is needed. Other members will offer practical skills, such as setting up displays, manning stalls or preparing power point presentations.
Opinions once passed, form the BPW Mandate and other members are then encouraged to lobby about the issue by visiting their local MP, writing letters or talking to wider groups and the media. Some members enjoy visiting their local radio or television studios to put forward their opinions.
The annual June O’Dell Award for Training was established to provide financial assistance to a member of BPW undertaking a course of training that would improve her employment potential or improve her career prospects. Contact the office for more details.
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MOLLY PERRY MEMORIAL AWARD
The Molly Perry Memorial Award is unique to BPW Billericay and was founded on the death of a much loved and respected member of the club in 1984. On Molly’s death her close relatives gave monies to BPW Billericay to set up a Trust Fund for some good cause of the members own choosing. Knowing Molly’s involvement with the Public Speaking Competition, the members decided to organise an award for local girls to encourage them to enter a field of education for many years barred to them. The criterium for the award is that candidates are accepted by a university to study medicine or allied subjects, an applied science, or engineering. Molly herself had engineering qualifications and her sister Nancy had been an extremely talented consultant gynaecologist at the hospital in the town.
Each year a letter is sent to the secondary schools in Billericay inviting them to submit nominations for the award. The girls are then invited to attend an informal interview with a panel of members; consideration is given not only to the grades they have achieved in their A Levels but to their outside interests and aspirations for the future. Awardees and their families are then invited to our presentation evening.
The Presentation Evening this year was held on 15 September in Billericay School. Seven girls received monetary awards to help them on their way.
From left to right in the photograph they are:
Helena Turner going to Leeds to study Radiography – Diagnostic and Imaging
Ruksar Uddin going to Queen Mary College London to study Pharmacology
Hannah Cousins going to Warwick to study Biomedical Science
Harriet Mok going to East Anglia to study Biochemistry
Sarah Kettlewell going to Sheffield to study Speech Science
Hayley Allison going to Leicester to study Physics with Astrophysics
Katie Graham going to University of London Islington to study Ophthalmic Dispensing
The young lady on the extreme right is Nancy Nunn. Nancy was a former awardee and was our guest speaker on the evening. Nancy is now a prominent practising osteopath and senior lecturer at the College of Osteopathy.
An enjoyable evening spent with awardees, family members and friends, and of course members of BPW Billericay. We are very proud of our Molly Perry Award!
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BPW Llandudno Bursary Award
Lauren Beasely is presented with her certificate by Christine Hambleton, President
The mandate of Business and Professional Women International is to support women in business and the professions. The branch in Llandudno is helping to do this by giving a bursary in the form of a £100 book token which is made available to women entering an undergraduate course that leads to a career in business or the professions. This year’s winner was Lauren Beasley who is to complete her A level studies and Welsh Baccalaureate at Eirias High School before going to Cass Business School at City University, London in September.
Lauren spoke to the branch about how she has made her choice to study for a management degree and her plans for the future. She has great enthusiasm for working in the international business world and will make good use of her reward.
