Ten Inspirational Yorkshire Women Take Centre Stage at the Yorkshire Ladies Links ‘This Is Me’ Conference
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
Friday 26th February, 2027 - Pavilions of Harrogate.
Yorkshire Ladies Links is bringing together ten remarkable women for what promises to be one of the most powerful and inspiring conferences for women in Yorkshire in 2027.
The Yorkshire Ladies Links ‘This Is Me’ Conference, taking place on Friday 26th February 2027 at the Pavilions of Harrogate, will bring together women from across Yorkshire for a full day of inspiring stories, honest conversations, connection, confidence and celebration.
The conference has become a much anticipated date in the calendar for women in business across Yorkshire, attracting business owners, entrepreneurs, professionals, charities and organisations from a wide range of sectors.
However, you do not need to run a business or work for an organisation to attend. The day welcomes everyone, because the stories, conversations and inspiration shared from the stage are for every woman.
The full day conference is complimentary to attend, but tickets must be booked in advance.
Ten Women. Ten Stories. One Unforgettable Day.
The conference will feature ten inspirational women taking to the stage across two powerful sessions, hosted by two of Yorkshire's best known and most respected broadcasters, Christa Ackroyd and Christine Talbot.
The morning session will be hosted by Christa Ackroyd, who will lead what promises to be an incredibly powerful, raw and deeply emotional conversation with five women whose journeys have led them to make an extraordinary difference to the lives of others.
Christa will welcome Becky and Shelley Joyce, Founders of Yorkshire Ladies Links' charity partner, Homeless Street Angels, who will share more about the charity and the work they do before opening up the conversation around their own experiences and journeys.
Joining them will be three inspiring charity founders:
Yvonne Stocks DL, Founder and CEO of Palm Cove Society
Deborah Jones, Founder and CEO of Resolute Women’s Support Services
Victoria Eames, Founder of Kind Hearts Give Back
Stories That Make a Difference
These women are now recognised as charity founders and leaders making an extraordinary difference, but none of them set out to work in the charity sector.
Their journeys have been shaped by life experiences, adversity, challenges and circumstances they could never have imagined would lead them to where they are today.
For each of them, the road has been tough. Their stories are personal, raw and, at times, incredibly difficult. Yet from those experiences has come a determination to help others, create change and make a difference.
What began as something they never planned has become their life's work.
We are incredibly proud that each of these women is a Yorkshire Ladies Links member. We have grown to know them, understand more about the work they do and see first hand the difference they are making to other people's lives.
Now it is time for you to hear their stories.
Christa will explore those journeys with them, uncovering the experiences, turning points and challenges that have shaped who they are today.
It is not simply an inspirational panel. It promises to be honest, emotional and, at times, difficult to hear, but ultimately a powerful reminder of resilience, courage and the extraordinary difference one person can make.
TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR EACH SPEAKER SESSION - SPACES ARE LIMITED - BOOK THIS SESSION HERE
The Afternoon: Confidence, Identity and Being Yourself
Following a short break, the conference will continue with another highly anticipated session, hosted by Christine Talbot.
Christine will introduce the afternoon keynote speaker, Rachel Peru, before joining Rachel, Bernadette Gledhill and Annie Stirk as part of the fabulous Primed for Life ‘Fab Four’.
Our Keynote Speaker: Rachel Peru
Rachel Peru is a model, speaker and body confidence advocate who empowers women to embrace who they are at every stage of life. Known for her signature silver hair and uplifting storytelling, Rachel champions representation, individuality and self-belief both on and off camera.
She is the founder of Liberté – Free to Be, a swimwear brand designed to help women feel confident, comfortable and truly themselves. She also hosts the Liberté – Free to Be podcast, celebrating women's stories with honesty and heart.
Rachel's work is centred around empowering women, challenging perceptions and encouraging women to feel confident in their own skin. Her keynote will explore her own journey, body confidence, self-acceptance and what it means to embrace who you are at every stage of life.
Rachel's keynote is set to be one of the defining moments of the conference.
Meet the Primed for Life ‘Fab Four’
Rachel will then be joined by three other iconic Yorkshire women as part of Primed for Life: Christine Talbot, Bernadette Gledhill and Annie Stirk.
Together, these four women are putting the ‘middle years’ firmly in the spotlight.
Each brings something completely different to the group. They have their own experiences, careers and stories, but share a passion for challenging perceptions around getting older and encouraging women to embrace the next chapter of their lives.
They are also each other's biggest cheerleaders!
Christine Talbot: TV presenter and one of Yorkshire's best known broadcasters, brings her experience, warmth and perspective.
Bernadette Gledhill: Model and fashion events organiser, brings her experience of fashion, modelling and style.
Rachel Peru: Model and body confidence advocate, brings her powerful message of self-acceptance and embracing who you are.
Annie Stirk: TV personality and model, brings her own experience of life in front of the camera and her infectious personality.
The four women have faced their own challenges and experiences through their middle years and came together to create something positive from them.
Having already hosted events and conversations of their own, they will now bring that conversation to the Yorkshire Ladies Links ‘This Is Me’ Conference.
Their panel will explore confidence, change, identity, ageing, opportunity and making the most of the woman you are today. Expect honesty, laughter, different perspectives and plenty of moments that will make you think.
TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR EACH SPEAKER SESSION - SPACES ARE LIMITED - BOOK THIS SESSION HERE
More Than a Conference
The ‘This Is Me’ Conference is about much more than listening to speakers.
Throughout the day there will be opportunities to meet, connect, discover and support businesses and organisations from across Yorkshire, with exhibitors from a wide range of sectors joining us.
Exhibitor spaces are already being booked and, as with previous Yorkshire Ladies Links conferences, spaces are expected to fill quickly.
For women in business, it is a fantastic opportunity to network, build relationships, discover new businesses and be part of one of Yorkshire's strongest communities of women.
A Day Designed to Make You Think
Yorkshire Ladies Links conferences have become a much-anticipated date in the calendar for women across Yorkshire, bringing together an incredible mix of speakers, businesses, charities and women from all walks of life.
But what makes ‘This Is Me’ different is its focus on the person behind the role.
The woman behind the business.
The woman behind the charity.
The woman behind the success.
The woman who has overcome something.
The woman who is still figuring out what comes next.
Across the two sessions, there will be moments of laughter, celebration and stories that may be difficult to hear. Some will be deeply emotional. Others will be uplifting, humorous and thought-provoking.
But every speaker has been chosen because they have something important to say.
We want women to leave the conference feeling inspired, supported, challenged and perhaps even seeing themselves a little differently.
You may hear a story that changes your perspective.
You may discover a new business or make a connection that lasts for years.
You may hear something that gives you the confidence to take your next step.
Or you may simply spend a day listening to extraordinary women and realise that your own story matters too.
Complimentary to Attend
The Yorkshire Ladies Links ‘This Is Me’ Conference is complimentary to attend, but tickets must be booked in advance.
Please note that you will need to book a General Admission ticket to attend the conference, and each speaker session must be booked separately here.
Friday 26th February 2027Pavilions of Harrogate
With ten inspirational women, two incredible hosts, a keynote speaker, two powerful panel conversations, exhibitors from across Yorkshire and a room full of women ready to connect and be inspired, this promises to be one of the standout women's events of 2027.
'This Is Me.'
To Book An Exhibitor Space, Contact Us here | View all Yorkshire Ladies Links Members here | To Join Our Membership, Contact Us here
