Smart Works to celebrate 10 years of empowering women into employment
A Birmingham charity that has helped more than 5,400 women get back into work is marking its 10th anniversary with an afternoon tea celebration in Digbeth this autumn, with Labour MP Jess Phillips among the guests.
Smart Works Birmingham will host the event at The Old Library in the Custard Factory on Thursday 1 October, running from midday until 3pm. Guests will be treated to a welcome drink and afternoon tea, along with the chance to shop at the charity's popular fashion sale.
Jess Phillips MP will join Smart Works CEO Anna Hemmings for a fireside chat on the issues facing women in Birmingham and how the charity is working to change lives across the region.
Since launching in the city a decade ago, Smart Works Birmingham has provided clothing, coaching and confidence-building support to thousands of unemployed women preparing for job interviews, helping them take the next step into employment.
Ann Powell, head of Smart Works Birmingham, said: "Ten years ago we set out to make sure that no woman in Birmingham misses out on a job because of what she's wearing or how she feels walking into an interview.
“To have supported over 5,400 women since then is something our whole team and our volunteers are incredibly proud of, and this celebration is as much about them as it is about the women we've helped."
Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, said: “I am delighted to be supporting Smart Works Birmingham as the charity celebrates its 10th anniversary.
“This milestone moment reflects the life-changing impact of the Smart Works service supporting women into employment in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
“Providing a service that helps women look and feel their best in an interview to get a job is so powerful, providing women in need with the skills, confidence and financial independence to succeed in the workplace and change their futures.
“I am excited to be speaking at the 10th birthday event to celebrate Smart Works Birmingham supporting over 5,000 women into work in the last decade and shine a light on the continued importance of supporting women in our Birmingham communities and beyond.”
Tickets for the anniversary event cost £55, with all proceeds going towards Smart Works' free service supporting unemployed women into work across the Midlands.
