A new industry body aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of women in the fenestration sector has launched a mentoring programme and reported early signs of commercial traction. The Women in Fenestration Network (WFN), founded by Sarah Ball and co-organised by Sioned Llewelyn Yates, held its first professional development day in Bristol with participants describing the turnout as strong.
The launch comes as construction and manufacturing sectors more broadly continue to grapple with skills shortages and a talent pipeline that has historically skewed male. Several attendees framed the network in those terms, citing a need for structured peer support rather than informal or ad hoc networking.
The centrepiece of the day was the launch of the WFN Mentoring Programme, introduced by Clare Bailey, who told attendees the scheme would provide what she described as “unbiased support and encouragement” to participants. Catherine Spencer, the former England women’s rugby captain, also addressed the event on leadership and resilience.
A panel session, titled Breaking Barriers in Fenestration, featured Jo-Anne Savant, Gemma Diratzonian of Assa Abloy, Lauren Mawford, director of the Glass and Glazing Federation, Hannah Barton and Charlotte Hawkes. A separate session on the use of artificial intelligence in professional development was delivered by Carly Grant.
Diratzonian said the event had underlined “the wealth of talent within our sector”, while Mawford said she had valued the opportunity “to connect with so many ladies across the industry” and praised the organisation of the event. Samantha Nuckey, managing director of Window Ware and BJ Waller, described the launch as marking “the start of a new community that so many spoke openly about needing and wanting” — a characterisation offered by Nuckey rather than independently verified.
Brooke Emerson, installations manager at Ideal Window Solutions, said the event had provided “invaluable advice, fresh perspectives, and some fantastic new connections” at an early stage in her management career, attending alongside colleagues Holly Palmer and Jayde Allen.
Ball, the network’s co-founder, said the turnout reflected demand: “Super to have so many women from the industry in one room.” Llewelyn Yates said feedback since the event had been “overwhelming”, with new Founding Members continuing to sign up, though specific membership numbers and pricing were not disclosed.
Organisers characterised the network’s ambitions as extending beyond a single event. “This was never just about organising an event,” Llewelyn Yates said. “It was about creating a community.”
She said further activity was planned, though no specific dates or initiatives beyond the mentoring programme were confirmed: “I can’t wait to see where we take the Women in Fenestration Network next.”
Why This Matters: This was an important event for the UK fenestration sector as it continues to evolve. Women-in-industry networks are nothing new and are already mainstays in many male-dominated sectors, including finance, construction and IT. Empowering women in these sectors is vital, and fenestration is no different.
Age and gender should be no barrier to entry, and the WFN illustrated the impressive depth of female talent that already exists across the sector. The aim now must be to build on this momentum and attract more talent into an industry facing a serious skills shortage.
