We are pleased to welcome a brand new meetup, aimed at Sheffield mums who are leaders, to Sheffield Technology Parks.

Mums in Leadership has been created by Anna Bollinger, co-founder of Appt and Hope English School, and Jodie Marshall, co-founder of Mantle and A Mind Apart. 

Both women are new mums and want to build a community for working women in leadership positions, where they can connect and explore some of the unique challenges that come with juggling a career and a family.

It is aimed at women in a wide range of leadership positions, from those running businesses to those working in charities, academia, government and the public sector.

The first event will be held on Thursday 29 February in our Boardroom at the Tech Parks. Beginning at 11am and running to 12:30pm, these events are designed to be more accessible for parents than after-work meetups. However, if you have children with you on the day, that’s OK too, they’re welcome.

The founders have been motivated to create the meetup based on their own experiences of juggling parenting and professional life. Anna says,

“Jodie and I were inspired to create this community after becoming mums ourselves and facing the challenges that come with being female business leaders and mothers. The (str)juggle is real and it’s really opened my eyes as an employer to what working mums are handling on a day to day basis.

“We were also inspired by campaigns like Pregnant Then Screwed and learning about the ‘motherhood penalty’ – the loss in lifetime earnings experienced by women raising children. We want to create a space where we can champion each other, initiatives and organisations working to challenge the very real issues faced by mothers.”

Anna is a familiar face at Sheffield Technology Parks as Appt were previously residents and we’ve long been a supporter of Sheffield Women in Tech (which Anna is also a part of) hosting these meetups too. So, we’re looking forward to having Anna back in the building. Tom Wolfenden, our CEO, comments,

“Anna and the Appt team are part of the Tech Parks family so we’re delighted to welcome her back for this important event. With inclusivity at the heart of what we do here, we’re pleased to be hosting Mums in Leadership and know that Anna and Jodie are going to create a welcoming, supportive and powerful community of mothers and leaders. We’re expecting a big turnout this month and at future events.”

You can register for the first Mums in Leadership meetup on Thursday 29 February here.

The Mums in Leadership community also has a LinkedIn Group, a welcoming and safe online space where women who are mums and leaders share their experience. You’ll find all community news and updates shared there too. Request to join here.

And, to find out more about Mums in Leadership and the founders, Anna and Jodie, take a look at the website: www.mumsinleadership.co.uk.