The speakers for this year’s Ladies in Business Lunch have been revealed.
The event, organised by H&H Group, takes place on Thursday March 5 in the Auctioneer’s Suite at Borderway, Carlisle.
Headline speakers are Jennie Allison, director at Low Howgill Butchers & Deli in Appleby, and Rachel Bell, head of marketing and business development at Lake District Estates.
The lunch brings together inspirational women professionals and business leaders from across Cumbria.
The overarching theme is to celebrate Cumbrian women’s achievements by recognising and appreciating their contributions across all sectors. Both guest speakers illustrate this ethos through the positive impact they are making within their industries and communities.
Now firmly established as a key date in the regional business calendar, the lunch will celebrate innovation, leadership and achievement, while providing a valuable opportunity for networking and fundraising.
Tickets for the lunch are £20, with all proceeds donated to charity.
Lake District Estates is a family-owned business operating holiday parks in the Lake District and Kirkby Lonsdale, a marina in Lancashire, and a portfolio of residential and commercial properties.
The company also manages some of the Lake District’s best-known visitor attractions, including Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ullswater ‘Steamers’, Peter Rabbit and Friends shops, and The Veg Patch online shop.
Rachel will share her journey through nearly 20 years in the tourism and hospitality sector, highlighting her leadership in digital transformation and destination marketing, alongside her long-standing work championing sustainability and accessibility across Cumbria, including leading the Changing Places initiative and contributing to the county’s UNESCO World Heritage Site partnership and interpretation work.
Jennie has helped run Low Howgill Butchers & Deli since its inception in 2010, growing it from cutting beef on the kitchen table to operating a thriving retail shop employing 10 members of staff.
Low Howgill uses beef and lamb reared on Jennie’s family farm in Milburn, just five miles from Appleby, and champions local ingredients wherever possible.
The business makes many of its products in-store, including pies, cooked meats, vegetable side dishes and oven-ready meals.
Jennie oversees the administrative side of the business alongside product development and has been instrumental in developing the Low Howgill pie range, working closely with her husband Steve to create seasonal recipes with a distinctive, often humorous, Low Howgill twist.
Nina Oxley, marketing manager at H&H Group, said: “This event is not just about celebrating the achievements of women, but about creating a platform where women can share experiences, discuss their roles and explore future aspirations.
“Both Jennie and Rachel are passionate business women in their fields and exceptional role models. We are absolutely delighted to welcome them.”
