Business mentoring programme for women in Coventry and Warwickshire returns - The Coventry Observer

Business mentoring programme for women in Coventry and Warwickshire returns

Coventry Editorial 8th Mar, 2022   0

A PROGRAMME to support aspiring businesswomen in Coventry and Warwickshire is returning this spring after proving to be a major success over the past 12 months.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has opened applications for its 22in22 Women in Business Mentoring Programme after the success of 21in21 that began last March.

The Chamber is now looking for mentees to come forward to be paired with successful business leaders who can help them move up the career ladder or grow their own company.

Keely Hancox, Operations Manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber, said: “We took the decision a year ago to launch the 21in21 programme because, time and again, we heard from women who had gone on to be successful saying how they’d wished they’d had a mentor at an earlier stage in their career.




“After such positive feedback, it is only right that the programme evolves into 22in22 and we look forward to hearing from more women  and seeing them benefit from our fabulous mentors.”

Anne Simonsen, owner of Shape It Up Pilates in Rugby, has turned her business around despite losing half of her clients and almost closing the studio during the pandemic.


She thanked her mentor Leigh Hunt, Regional Partnership Director for CityFibre, for providing advice and encouragement during a period of uncertainty.

Leigh, who spent 20 years working as an e-business advisor for Warwickshire County Council, first met Anne in search of relief for her back problems, but has since returned the favour by providing mentor support to her as part of the 21in21 programme.

The pair met once a month since the programme was launched.

Anne said: “Leigh’s advice has encouraged me to take more time to focus on what I want to achieve with my business rather than just fight to stay afloat, and since I have started to trust my own vision for the business more and day-to-day operations have improved dramatically.”

For more information or to apply to be a mentee, go to www.cw-chamber.co.uk/membership/22in22.

Applications are open until Wednesday 23rd March at 5pm.

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