The Women in Fenestration Network (WFN) launched with an inaugural Professional Development Day, held in Bristol on 25 June.
More than 75 women from every part of the fenestration supply chain came together for a day of learning, networking and honest conversations, including keynote speaker and former England Rugby Captain, Catherine Spencer.
Ahead of the event, WFN carried out its first Women in Fenestration Industry Survey, designed to better understand the experiences, challenges and opportunities facing women working across the sector. The findings are said to have shaped the programme for the day and highlighted confidence, imposter syndrome, mentoring and career development as some of the key areas women wanted WFN to focus on.
Sarah Ball, founder of the Women in Fenestration Network, said:
“I never imagined quite how many people would share the same passion for creating something that genuinely supports women across our industry. Seeing that vision become a reality has been incredibly special.
“What made the day so special wasn’t just the quality of the speakers. It was seeing women openly sharing their experiences, making new connections and leaving with greater confidence. It reinforced exactly why WFN was created,” she continued.
“This was never about delivering one successful event. It’s about creating a community that supports women throughout their careers through professional development, mentoring, networking and shared experiences, while helping to build a stronger industry together.”
Sioned Yates, who is working in partnership with Sarah Ball to develop the long-term vision and growth of the Women in Fenestration Network, added:
“One of the biggest highlights for me was seeing the conversations continue throughout the day. Despite falling on one of the hottest days of the year, people weren’t rushing home. They were introducing each other, discussing future collaborations, talking about mentoring and already planning how they could stay involved.”
“We’ve also been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received from across the wider industry. Businesses have already signed up as Founding Corporate Members, individuals are joining as Founding Members and we’ve received so many messages asking how they can get involved.”
“What excites me most is where WFN goes next,” continued Sioned. “The Professional Development Day was just the beginning. Together, we’re building a community that will continue to support women through mentoring, networking, professional development and shared experiences, while working with our partners to help build a stronger fenestration industry for the future.”
The event also saw the official launch of the WFN Mentoring Programme, led by former Epwin Window Systems managing director, Clare Bailey. With decades of industry experience and a passion for developing future talent, Clare will lead the mentoring programme as it supports women throughout their careers.
Looking ahead, WFN has already confirmed a programme of activity for the remainder of 2026, including the launch of the WFN Podcast, a Building Our Skills training day, a Lunch & Learn networking event in London focusing on confidence and imposter syndrome, further networking events across the UK and the continued rollout of the mentoring programme.
Founding Membership is now open for both individuals and organisations, giving members the opportunity to become part of a growing professional community focused on connection, collaboration and career development.
Sarah Ball added:
“This is only the beginning. Our ambition is to create a community where women can develop their careers, businesses can invest in their people and, together, we can help build a stronger fenestration industry for the future.”
For more information about the Women in Fenestration Network, upcoming events or becoming a Founding Member, visit:
www.womeninfenestration.co.uk
