Central District Alliance celebrates International Women's Day 2026
Business Breakfast brought together employers, healthcare professionals and community partners to explore how we can better support women’s health in the workplace.
Delivered in collaboration with Dress for Success, UK BlackTech, Sodexo and The Orangery, the event focused on practical ways organisations can support women through short-term health challenges and help prevent long-term absence from work.
The event was opened by Debbie Akehurst, CEO of Central District Alliance, who highlighted the importance of recognising women’s health as not only a wellbeing issue, but also a workforce and economic priority.
Our keynote speaker, Ruth Duston OBE, Founder and CEO of Primera Corporation, shared insights from her leadership journey and spoke about the importance of investing in women in the workplace.
Expert speakers Dr Bethan Jones, Dr Julie Hammond and Angela Thomas provided valuable healthcare and economic perspectives, discussing early intervention, prevention and the role employers can play in supporting women’s health and wellbeing.
An engaging panel discussion, moderated by Cllr Sabrina Francis, explored practical actions organisations can take to create more supportive and inclusive workplaces.
The event concluded with a presentation from Mark Martin, Co-Founder of UK BlackTech, who spoke about the role of digital skills and innovation in supporting inclusive economic growth