The founder of a Widnes-based networking group is joining forces with the mayoress of Halton to help nurture future female talent in the Borough.
Susie Sprigg (pictured third left) welcomed mayoress Andrea Newton (pictured second left) to the monthly Widnes Women in Business Network (WIBN) meeting to announce their partnership.
Members and visitors heard about the Mayoress’ plans for a personal development
conference for women, ‘Actually, She Can!’ – taking place at The Heath Business &
Technical Park, Runcorn in February 2025.
“The mayor and I are hosting this event as part of our fundraising programme, which
is set up within the Halton Foundation and managed by the Community Foundations
for Lancashire and Merseyside,” said Andrea.
“We want ‘Actually, She Can!’ to be as inclusive as possible, so I am grateful to
Susie for sponsoring a place at the conference for a woman who would benefit from
a day of inspiration and learning, but otherwise could not afford to attend without the
Pay it Forward scheme. That is a very exciting prospect, and a great example of the
power of networking – a topic Susie will address in one of eight interactive
workshops we are hosting on the day.”
During the meeting, the Mayoress and Susie reflected on their shared interests and
backgrounds in learning & development, as well as their joint commitment to
bringing women together in safe spaces.
“My husband Ian died suddenly just before the pandemic,” said Susie. “When
my grief changed to healing, I set out to rediscover myself – investing heavily in
personal development and joining WIBN. It’s no exaggeration to say WIBN saved my
life and gave me a new sense of purpose because of the women in there – so much
so, I have committed the rest of my life to paying forward all the support I have
received.
“To be able to do that locally with the ‘Actually, She Can!’ event feels very
special. I am a big believer that the right people always come your way in life, and I
know Andrea and I are aligned in our values.”
The mayoress also had the opportunity to see first-hand what happens at a Widnes
WIBN meeting, as well as to spend time with attendees such as Tina Gill, fundraising manager at Halton Haven Hospice.
“In my capacity as mayoress, I have spoken to a lot of women in business over the
past 18 months, and I have realised that there is a genuine need for the kind of
structured support that WIBN offers,” said Andrea.
“It’s so important that you go into networking meetings knowing exactly who will be there; having the chance to hear from and be heard by others in a fair, equitable manner; and being given time and attention by the host. Widnes WIBN is a relatively new group in the Borough, but I would like to congratulate Susie for going about things in exactly the right way.”
