More than 300 delegates have secured places for an annual conference celebrating female enterprise and leadership across Yorkshire, six months ahead of the event.

The 11th annual “This Is Me” conference, organised by the professional networking organisation Yorkshire Ladies Links, takes place on Friday 26 February 2027 at the Pavilions of Harrogate, within the Great Yorkshire Showground in North Yorkshire. Previous conferences have drawn up to 800 participants from across the region’s commercial, non-profit, and entrepreneurial sectors.

The full-day event is divided into two curated speaker programmes designed to address both social impact and professional confidence.

The morning session will be chaired by regional television journalist Christa Ackroyd, who has hosted every conference since the organisation was established in 2012. The panel will examine the accounts of five women who overcame personal adversity to launch charitable enterprises.

Speakers include Becky and Shelley Joyce, founders of the outreach charity Homeless Street Angels, and Victoria Eames, founder of Kind Hearts Give Back, who has directed fundraising efforts for cancer treatment and support charities since her diagnosis in 2014.

The afternoon programme shifts focus to workplace culture, executive presence, and career longevity. Chaired by television presenter Christine Talbot, discussions will centre on professional identity and mid-career progression.

Joining the panel are members of the Primed for Life collective, including curve fashion model and body-confidence campaigner Rachel Peru, age-positive advocate Annie Stirk—who entered national campaign modelling in her seventies—and fashion industry veteran Bernadette Gledhill.

Attendance is offered free of charge to remove financial barriers for early-stage founders, sole traders, and third-sector professionals across northern England.

Melanie Malcolm, founder of Yorkshire Ladies Links, said: “The ethos of Yorkshire Ladies Links is that the strongest business connections come from simply having a conversation and building a relationship. This is Me is really an extension of that. Women of all ages come along - you don’t need to run a business or work for an organisation to attend - it’s all about enabling people to connect, inspire and support each other.”

She added: “I want to give something back to the women of Yorkshire and get such a good feeling knowing I’ve been able to give people a day of inspiration they can enjoy at no cost. Some women hear a story that changes their perspective, some simply spend a day listening to extraordinary women and realise their story matters too.”

While admission is complimentary, organisers note that attendees must register in advance for general admission, as well as reserve spaces for the morning and afternoon programmes individually via yorkshireladieslinks.co.uk/our-events.

Event details

Date: Friday 26 February 2027
Time: 9.30 am – 3.30 pm GMT
Location: Pavilions of Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8NZ
Admission: Complimentary (advance registration required)