150 business women filled Audley’s Wood Hotel, Basingstoke, for a special commemorative evening to celebrate the North Hampshire Women In Business Group’s 15th Anniversary in September.

During a champagne reception, Sue Brown, President of the Women In Business Group, warmly welcomed guests, who included current and new members and past presidents of the Group. Many companies had donated discount vouchers and business gifts in a ‘goodie-bag’ that was presented to every guest upon arrival.

Sue presented a history of the Group, a non-profit making organisation which began in September 1992 when an affiliation to the North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce was specifically founded to be run by, and for, women to provide a regular forum for business women to meet and network with each other.

This extra special occasion prompted the need for an extra special speaker and Sue was delighted to introduce Barbara Harmer, the only English woman to fly supersonic!During Barbara’s speech, she explained that her career path had begun in a totally different direction. She left school at 15 years to train as a hairdresser. Never in a million supersonic years did she ever dream she would one day be flying the fastest aircraft in the World! She soon realised she wasn’t cut out to be a hairdresser and always sought more. Without the support of the armed forces or a commercial airline, she went under her own steam and, through sheer determination, she put herself through flight training, qualifying in May 1992 as a commercial pilot. That was only the beginning! Barbara found it difficult to get a job, especially as the airlines were not too enthusiastic at employing a woman to fly their planes. She finally got her first job flying for Genair – big bulky aeroplanes that were affectionately termed ‘the sheds’!

Barbara’s career flourished and for a number of years she has been employed by British airways and was fortunate enough to fly Concorde before its demise. Not only that, but she was the first woman pilot to fly the supersonic jet.

Sue thanked Barbara for her inspiring speech, commenting that, against all the odds and prejudice of her profession, Barbara has achieved the highest of accolades.

The evening continued with a grand raffle prize draw, the proceeds of which would be donated to the charity that the WIBG is supporting this year, the Basingstoke Women’s Refuge. Local businesses kindly donated an astonishing amount of raffle prizes, worth in excess of £25,000.

Kathryn Netherway, Chair of the Board of Basingstoke Women’s Refuge, gratefully accepted a cheque for £1,500 from monies raised from the evening’s raffle, plus an additional cheque of £1,400, raised by committee member, Katie Russell of LD Property Management in Basingstoke for sailing across the Atlantic - our very own Ellen MacArthur!

Kathryn thanked the WIBG for nominating the Refuge as their charity this year, saying that the monies will be wisely spent on helping women and their children in the area. Kathryn informed the Group that the Refuge was opened 30 years ago in Basingstoke, being one of the first to be set up in this country. The Refuge has grown to accommodate up to 17 families today at any one time, which is quite large. However, the Refuge receives between 200 and 250 referrals every year and, even with the three houses they now have, are only able to accommodate 35%, which goes to show that there is still a great need for the services that the Refuge provides.

The aim of the Refuge is to provide temporary accommodation to women and children who have been subjected to domestic violence. The Refuge will work with these devastated families to try and empower them to take charge of their own lives and to stop this recurring again.

Women In Business Group’s President, Sue Brown, guest speaker Concorde pilot Barbara Harmer, with former Presidents of the WIBG, Sheila Glyn-Owen and Ann Davies with celebration cake donated to the Basingstoke Women’s Refuge.