Blackburne House, one of the leading centres for women’s enterprise and education based on Liverpool’s Hope Street, are to host a Women’s Question Time event this month ahead of the upcoming general election.

On Thursday 23rd April, a panel including political and business representatives will meet at Blackburne House to answer questions from more than one hundred guests on the things that may affect women’s decisions on voting.

The panel includes Norsheen Bhatti, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Walton; former Labour MP Hazel Blears; young person’s advocate Emma Hulme of 4Wings CIC; Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy; Linda Loy, associate at the College of Policing; Baroness Walmsley, Liberal Democrat Peer; and Kate Willard, corporate affairs director at Stobart Group; and will be chaired by Liz Cross, managing director at The Connectives and chair of Blackburne House Group.

The event is kindly sponsored by Fusion 21, MSB Solicitors, PwC,  and SEUK. Organisers say that they hope the debate will generate more female support for the election after it was reported that around 9 million women did not vote at the last election.

It is also the aim that the event will go some way to ensuring that the women’s education agenda become a priority under the new leadership.

CEO at Blackburne House, Claire Dove, says:

“As the General Election looms, we are acutely aware that women are less likely to participate in the voting process. We therefore felt it important to lead a discussion to ensure that women’s voices are heard and that they understand the value of being part of the democratic process.

“At Blackburne House, we are entirely driven by our values of education and empowerment of women, they are embedded into all that we do. It is so important to us that the women we help understand the role that they could play in influencing our society for the greater good.

“We’re incredibly excited about this event. We want women to be inspired to vote and hope that this will go some way towards ensuring more inclusivity of votes locally and perhaps more widely; and make women’s education a priority for parliamentarians.”

Those attending will have an opportunity to meet and connect over a drinks reception before the debate. Afterwards, sponsors and speakers will attend a private dinner in the June Henfrey room, expertly prepared by the award-winning team at the Blackburne House Café Bar.

Blackburne House is a Grade II Listed building based in the Georgian Quarter and is home to Blackburne House Education, which offers a wide range of educational programmes for women; the School for Social Entrepreneurs North West; and a number of award winning social enterprises including the cafe bar, health suite, nursery, conference and events centre and female maintenance business.

Tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis, and are limited. For more information on the Women’s Question Time or to enquire about tickets, contact carolejoel@blackburnehouse.co.uk