Seven business women have graduated from the highly successful Women’s Leadership Programme, run by Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure) and People & Performance Ltd to help support professional women across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire to develop their leadership style and progress to more senior roles.

The Women’s Leadership Programme was first developed by professional recruitment specialists Pure, in conjunction with strategic HR consultancy People & Performance Ltd, in 2014 and over 30 organisations across the region have already participated.

The latest graduates to complete the programme are from both public and private sector organisations in the region including Suffolk-based Events under Canvas, Buckles Solicitors based in Peterborough and Victory Housing Trust based in Norfolk. The job roles of those graduating ranged from Learning and Development Managers through to Head of Finance. The seven exceptional graduates will now join a growing alumni network, developing across the East of England, of previous programme graduates and employer sponsors. This will provide a great forum for them to continue to build their leadership skills, boost their confidence and to develop a network of like-minded professionals.

A special graduation event took place at Paddocks House in Newmarket on Thursday [21 April] where the delegates and alumni network heard from guest speaker Steve Turpie, business transformation expert and founder of Bright Stars charity speak about  the power of vulnerability in leadership.  

Lynn Walters, Director at Pure, said: “I would like to congratulate all of our latest graduates and I hope that the programme has boosted  confidence, developed their leadership skills and helped them on their own personal journey  of becoming some of the best business leaders of the future. I would also like to praise the employers who have sponsored our latest graduates for taking such a proactive step to help to develop their female talent and on working with them to address any potential barriers or unconscious bias within their organisation’s progression pipeline. Diversity is widely understood to be fundamental to the sustained growth of any business and having an equal gender ratio within the talent pipeline will create more meaningful, purposeful businesses of the future.

The Women’s Leadership Programme consists of two modules which take place over a six-month period, encompassing a mixture of coaching, seminars and inspirational guest speakers.

Pure is offering the chance for one aspiring female leader, working at a deserving organisation in the East of England, to receive a part-funded place on the next intake of the Women’s Leadership Programme, with modules in running in June and September. The full cost of the programme is usually £2,750 but this will be reduced to £1,375 for the chosen delegate. Applications are open to charities, social enterprises or not-for-profit organisations  across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex or Cambridgeshire. To apply for the place, or to nominate a member of your team, email lucy@prs.uk.com by 29 April with details of why you, or a colleague, should be awarded the sponsored place.