A networking group for women working in affordable housing in Wales has launched.
LUSH Cymru (Ladies Unite in Social Housing) has been created by partnerships developer Lovell along with Savills, Acuity Law, Yolk Recruitment and Newport City Homes.
The official launch event at The Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff saw discussion of challenges faced in the industry, ideas on making improvements within the sector and relationship-building.
Further events are set to be held that will allow other organisations to get involved in the conversation.
Gemma Clissett, regional partnerships director at Lovell, said:
“Lovell is absolutely thrilled to be involved in the launch of LUSH Cymru, which aims to create a great networking platform for professional women working within the housing sector who would like to learn more and share some of the challenges we face in the course of our work.
“We’ve been talking to lots of ladies who have all expressed concern that there is a lack of networking opportunities for women in Wales. Hopefully this will be the start of a long-standing collaboration between women in the sector that will empower us to drive the changes and innovations we want to see in the space.”
Caroline Jones, Associate Director of Development at Savills, said:
“We recognised that there was a niche in the local market for women who work in the affordable housing sector to meet and share ideas. The demand for affordable housing is greater than ever and it certainly comes with its challenges.
“We therefore thought that by setting up LUSH Cymru, it would give the ladies an opportunity to discuss and learn from each other by meeting up regularly. We are hoping this will enhance the support and well-being of ladies who work in the sector and grow their network, so they have more contacts to call upon for advice.”
Liz Gibbons, Partner at Acuity Law, added:
“We are thrilled to have launched LUSH Cymru, an initiative dedicated to empowering and supporting women working in social housing across South Wales. This event marked the beginning of an opportunity to build new relationships, cement existing friendships, share ideas and best practice. We aim to create a platform where women can thrive, connect and inspire one another. We are committed to making a positive impact and look forward to seeing the growth and success that will emerge from this initiative.”
Hannah Welfoot, Principal Talent Consultant at Yolk Recruitment, said:
“Along with a fantastic group of ladies that work across the social housing sector, we identified that there was a gap for a networking group in South Wales, so we set up LUSH Cymru. We wanted it to be accessible to all women, no matter how early on or seasoned they are in their career, and give us all a chance to connect, share ideas and form friendships with other like-minded professionals that share the same passion for working in the social housing sector.”
Sophie Wint, Director of Finance and Procurement at Newport City Homes, said:
“I’m really excited to be involved in the creation of LUSH Cymru on behalf of the social housing sector. Working in the sector can be challenging, and there is a clear demand for a space for women to come together, share experiences, build networks and support each other. The launch event was a great success and I look forward to many more well attended events in the future as we build our programme.”
