The Dunstable depot recently held its fourth ‘Women in Construction’ event, continuing a simple idea that began a few years ago and has grown steadily ever since. This year, we brought the group together in London, where women from across the sector — including customers, sub-contractors and manufacturer partners — joined us for an afternoon of connection and conversation.
This year’s event was sponsored by Knauf Ceiling Solutions, and we were delighted to have Amanda Connolly with us on the day. As an independent business, maintaining strong partnerships with our manufacturers is central to how we operate, and we really value their support for initiatives like this.
The purpose of the event remains simple: to create a relaxed and supportive space for women working in construction and interiors to meet, share experiences and connect with one another.
The feedback after the event was excellent, with many attendees highlighting how useful and enjoyable the conversations were throughout the afternoon.
The event was coordinated by Rosie Lofting, Assistant Depot Manager, with support from the wider Dunstable team. Their effort ensured that everything ran smoothly and helped shape the welcoming atmosphere that attendees commented on.
Depot Manager, Lucy Barker, also shared her thoughts on the day:
“It’s brilliant to see this event grow each year. The conversations we had on the day really highlighted how valuable it is for women across the industry to come together and support one another.”
Owner and Director Gerard Abbott-Drake shared his thoughts on why this initiative matters:
“54% of our team — including sales, head office, manager and director positions — are women, compared to the industry standard of just 14.7%. We are proud of our culture and committed to fostering an inclusive environment where talented individuals from all backgrounds can thrive.”
As an independent business, our values of community, partnership and ‘Guaranteed Outstanding Service’ are central to everything we do. Hosting events like this is one way we put those values into practice.
It’s been fantastic to see the Women in Construction event continue to grow over the past four years, and we look forward to developing the initiative even further in the years ahead.
Thank you to everyone who joined us — and to all those who helped make the event a success.