Top Women Bosses Inspire Gosport Schoolgirls to Dream Big
Caroline Dinenage MP brought heavyweight female business stars, including Jacqueline Gold CBE, to Bridgemary School in Gosport today for an energising Enterprising Women event. The goal? To push Year 9 girls at Bridgemary and Brune Park schools to smash self-doubt and explore career paths beyond imagination.
From Politics to Passion: Women Who Lead the Way
The event kicked off with speeches from Bridgemary’s Head Teacher Vicki White and Caroline Dinenage MP—who swapped business life for politics. Seven local women trailblazers then took to the stage, sharing how they climbed to the top of their careers.
Ann Summers CEO Jacqueline Gold CBE gave a fiery talk urging the girls to “think about your passion and what you’re really interested in” and to “help drive that change” so more women rise in business.
Girls Take On Entrepreneurial Challenge
The schoolgirls tackled a tough brief: design a business plan for a vacant commercial spot in Gosport. Mentors roamed, dropping wisdom and tips before the girls pitched their ideas ‘Dragons Den meets The Apprentice’ style.
Despite just 90 minutes, the plans blew judges away for creativity and practical thinking:
- “Opening Doors”: A careers advisory service to boost local people’s confidence and address poor careers advice for young women.
- Performing Arts Academy: Drama classes, shows, and children’s parties generating year-round cashflow.
- Winning Idea – SeaFix: A boat repair and engineering firm offering travel to any location. They’d hire semi-retired marine experts alongside apprentices to blend generations and keep Gosport’s maritime legacy alive.
Words of Praise and Future Promise
“The girls’ projects were really inventive and they all clearly identified businesses that Gosport needs. I hope today gave them a taste of the business world and inspired them to be the best they can, no matter their chosen path.” – Caroline Dinenage MP
“I could see so much talent in the room today. It’s about time girls start realising how fantastic they really are and what they can offer.” – Jacqueline Gold CBE
A shining example of success, Jacqueline took Ann Summers from £83,000 turnover to a whopping £140 million.
Thirteen-year-old Mia from Brune Park said: “The women here today inspired me so much. I wasn’t sure what career I wanted, but now I’ve got ideas and I believe I can go further—even shy girls can achieve big things.”
The Powerhouse Mentors
- Freya Derrick, owner of nursery giant Hopscotch, employing 160+ locals
- Melanie Lawson, founder of Brighton’s Bare Biology
- Lulu Whitmore, founder of Southsea’s top events company Love Southsea
- Dee Farwell of forward-thinking accountants Business Bar
- Commander Sophie Shaughnessy, HMS Sultan’s Executive Officer and Royal Navy’s top female engineer
- Christine Biddle, Gosport-born Operations Manager at Maritime Services International
- Abby Thomson, director and co-founder of Gosport Marine Scene
These women showed the girls that ambition and grit can break glass ceilings. Gosport’s future business queens are rising fast.
