Westmeath celebrates 20 years of National Women’s Enterprise Day
Female entrepreneurs across Westmeath and the Midlands are being celebrated today as National Women’s Enterprise Day marks its 20th anniversary.
The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) initiative is highlighting the contribution of women in business, with this year’s Midlands regional event taking place at The Village Barn in Tyrrellspass.
The event brings together female entrepreneurs and business leaders from Westmeath, Laois, Longford and Offaly for a morning focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership and business growth.
Hosted by Midlands 103 broadcaster Courtney Callaghan, the Tyrrellspass event features speakers including Fiona Matthews of Applegreen, Denise Buckley of Wholesome Kitchen and Sugar Plum Sweetery, Helen Conneely of Celtic Roots Studio and Sarah Jane Foster of The RAW Network.
The event is part of 16 National Women’s Enterprise Day gatherings taking place across the country, with topics ranging from sustainability and innovation to marketing, networking and business development.
The national launch took place at The Village Barn earlier this year, with Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke meeting a number of female-led businesses supported by LEO Westmeath.
Among those showcased were National Enterprise Award winners Sugar Plum Sweetery, AgTech company I/O Agri, wellness brand Inish Living, bridal brand Mizz Rio, McWilliam’s Bags and education software company ExamRevision.
Christine Charlton, Head of Enterprise at LEO Westmeath, said the 20th anniversary was an opportunity to recognise the ambition and resilience of women entrepreneurs across the country.
She said LEOs provide practical supports including mentoring, training, funding, expert advice and business connections to help women start, grow and expand their enterprises.
Minister Burke said National Women’s Enterprise Day was an important opportunity to recognise the progress made in supporting women in business.
He highlighted the growing role of female entrepreneurs across sectors including agtech, manufacturing, fashion and food.
The celebrations in Westmeath underline the growing contribution women are making to the county’s business community, while encouraging the next generation of female entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into successful enterprises.