Member Article

Pattonair celebrates women at ‘This Girl Can’ event with Sharron Davies MBE

Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies MBE gave an inspirational talk to a gathering of 170 businesswomen at a special ‘This Girl Can’ event in Derby.

Sharron, now a TV commentator, shared her life experiences and details of her distinguished sporting career at the Derbyshire County Cricket Club 1870 Business event to celebrate women in sport held at The Pattonair County Cricket Ground.

Showcasing the Olympic Torch and her gold medal, she told her audience about the importance of having determination, saying: “What’s lovely for me is I’ve had a career which has covered 11 Olympic games so far.

“When I started working in sport and in the media, there were very few ladies represented in commentary or hosting sports shows on a Saturday afternoon. Now, things are 50/50. In fact, if you turn on the television these days, it’s probably more ladies than fellas out there doing the job - which is pretty cool!”

The event, organised by the Derbyshire County Cricket Club, was sponsored by Pattonair, the Derby-based leading global supply chain provider to the aerospace and defence industry, along with brand agency Champions UK PLC and law firm Smith Partnership Solicitors. Guests enjoyed a drinks reception and a delicious summer buffet.

‘This Girl Can’ is a campaign developed by Sport England to promote sport among women, celebrating ‘active women who are doing their thing no matter how they do it, how they look or even how sweaty they get’.

In attendance was Pattonair’s Chief People Director, Louise Tommasi, commenting: ‘We’re really proud to be sponsoring and taking part in this event. It’s a fantastic opportunity for women across the county to come together and network, as well as hearing from Sharron Davies who gave a truly inspirational speech.’

The event was to be followed by a match by the Women’s World Cup-winning England team against West Indies Women on the final three-match T20 series.

Unfortunately, the relentless British weather meant the game was cancelled, but this didn’t dampen the spirit of the event as it continued into the evening.

In the lead-up to the event, Pattonair had chosen 16 cricket-mad youngsters from Denby Cricket Club to form a special guard of honour at the major international game. Wayne Hollinshead, Chief Executive of Pattonair, said: “Since taking over the naming rights of the ground, we have been excited to raise its profile and enhance its popularity, particularly with local schools, universities and community groups.” Pattonair is four months into its four-year deal with Derbyshire County Cricket Club. It has taken a proactive approach to its involvement, including encouraging initiatives such as the guard of honour and sponsorship of key events.

Pattonair are proud to be supporting important causes throughout the year such as the Cricket Derbyshire Foundation T20 Walkathon on 26th July in aid of the CDF. Also supporting Dementia UK, Pattonair are in the process of organising their third Autumn Ball to raise funds for the charity.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katie Ford .