Serving the Teesside Business Community | 11
/NEWS
The inaugural Tees
Businesswoman of the
Year Claire Preston, of
Lexonik, and Jessica
Williams, from Just
Williams, joined other
female business leaders
at an International
Women’s Day event held
at Teesside University.
BUSINESS BITES
MPI IN £35M RESEARCH PROJECT
Tees Valley girls
told there are no
limits to your goals
T
eenagers from across the Tees
Valley visited Teesside University
to be empowered and enthused
about their futures as part of the
International Women’s Day celebrations.
Scores of girls from local schools and
colleges came to the university to hear
inspirational stories from female business
leaders and take part in workshops aimed
at building confidence and resilience.
There was also a graffiti wall where
people were encouraged to capture their
thoughts, feelings and aspirations, as
well as a singing workshop and dance
performances as part of the day.
International Women’s Day is a global
event and the theme for 2019 was Balance
for Better.
Professor Jane Turner OBE, pro vice-
chancellor (enterprise and business
engagement) and gender champion at
Teesside University, said the aim of the
event at the University was to reach out
to the next generation and inspire and
enthuse them about their future career
opportunities.
She added: “If you look at the statistics
in terms of the World Economic Forum, it
is going to take another 200-plus years to
achieve gender equality in education, the
workplace, health and politics.
“We have to intervene and accelerate
that progression. We have a responsibility
towards the next generation and we
wanted to open girls’ eyes in terms of
what opportunities are out there and what
roles they can take in society and the
workplace.”
Claire Preston, winner of the inaugural
Tees Businesswoman of the Year awards in
2018, was involved in the event at Teesside
University.
She told Tees Business: “International
Women’s Day is important because
it highlights and celebrates women’s
challenges and successes.
“It raises diversity and equality on the
agenda internationally, and gives a voice to
women collectively.
“We also need to empower younger
generations and give them the aspiration
and role models, and the hope that’s
needed to develop them, and for them to
see what their potential is.”
Tees Components managing director
Sharon Lane – a runner-up in the Tees
Businesswoman of the Year category –
added: “It gives us an opportunity to spend
some time with young women like we
have today and making sure this is the next
generation of women knowing they can do
whatever they want to do, and hopefully
seeing some role models and mentors to
help them along the way.”
THE DRINKS ARE ON FIRST CHOICE!
D
on’t be surprised to see special labels
on the table wine at the 2019 Tees
Businesswomen Awards later this
year.
Because Redcar firm First Choice Labels
are very kindly sponsoring them!
First Choice boss Nigel Willis has agreed
to sponsor the table wine at the second Tees
Businesswomen Awards, in association with
Northern Skills Group.
After the inaugural event last year,
organisers Tees Business will host the glitzy
awards bash, again at Wynyard Hall, on
October 24.
Tees Business is planning to make it an
even bigger and better celebration after
the hugely-successful debut effort last
November, which was attended by 280
people.
The organisers are hoping to have around
350 guests at this year’s event in Wynyard’s
stunning Grand Marquee.
And, due to demand, only three of the
10 award sponsorship packages are now
Sponsors - First Choice Labels.
remaining after seven were quickly snapped
up.
Co-organiser Martin Walker said: “The
first Tees Businesswomen Awards not only
recognised some of the high achievers from
around our region, it also unearthed some
hidden gems.
“We’re looking forward to detailing
more about this year’s event, including our
sponsors, both online and in the printed
editions of Tees Business over the course of
the year.”
More details are at teesbusiness.co.uk/
awards
Tees-based national steel research
and innovation centre the Materials
Processing Institute is supporting an
innovative £35m project that will support
British manufacturing and unlock new
opportunities in steel production.
MPI has become a partner of the
SUSTAIN manufacturing hub, which
is one of three £10m research hubs
funded by the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC),
which is part of UK Research and
Innovation (UKRI).
DOGGER BANK PLANS FOR TEES
Developers SSE and Norwegian energy
giant Equinor have said Durham Tees
Valley Airport will be considered as part
of operation and maintenance plans for
what will be the world’s largest offshore
wind farm.
The plans could see engineers and
support staff mobilised directly from the
Heliport at Durham Tees Valley during
both the construction and operational
phases of Dogger Bank.
Equinor said once the airport
ownership was confirmed, the plans
would be “favourably considered”.
SIRIUS DEAL FOR
STOCKTON FIRM
Stockton-based steel fabricator Francis
Brown has sealed a deal to fabricate and
weld 50 tonnes of steel equipment for
Sirius Minerals’ new multi-billion pound
polyhalite fertiliser mine in Teesside and
North Yorkshire.
TEES BUSINESS SUMMIT
Tees Valley Business Summit is set to
return for its eighth year at Teesside
University’s Olympia Building on
Thursday July 4, and promises a
packed programme of workshops,
alongside networking opportunities and
exhibitions.
More details available from
teesvalleysummit.co.uk
Bosses at thriving Tees firm SK Chilled
Food, which makes ethnic snacks, sides
and own-label party food for the UK’s
biggest supermarkets, say its factories
made 30 million pieces of party food over
Christmas and New Year. The Wynyard-
based business has invested £1.7m in its
South Bank facility.
#TalkingUpTeesside