With Heartfelt Thanks from Melanie Malcolm - Founder of Yorkshire Ladies Links

As this year soon draws to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting on just how much we have achieved together. Yorkshire Ladies Links has grown, evolved and reconnected in ways I couldn’t have imagined, and I wanted to share that journey with everyone who has been part of it.

Yorkshire Ladies Links first began back in 2014, starting with ladies lunches and charity shopping events. What began as small gatherings quickly grew into large-scale conferences hosted across venues throughout Yorkshire. Each event brought something different, yet every one was successful in its own way. What has always meant the most to me is the loyalty shown over the years, with many exhibitors choosing to stand alongside us at every single event to this day.

After a short pause to plan our comeback, Yorkshire Ladies Links relaunched this year, and the support we received was overwhelming. The encouragement, belief and enthusiasm shown for our return reminded me exactly why this community matters so much.

2025 truly became our year. We launched the Yorkshire Voices conference series and welcomed over 400 attendees. One of the most powerful moments came when Lindsey Burrow launched her book Take Care at the conference, selling hundreds of copies to a room full of people who wanted to support her. Lindsey spoke openly about her journey caring for her late husband, Rob Burrow CBE, who lived with MND, in front of 250 guests, hosted by our much-loved presenter Christa Ackroyd. 

Later that afternoon, Lindsey joined the Yorkshire Voices panel, hosted by our presenter, Christine Talbot, alongside Lizzie Jones MBE, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung, Joan Lawrence and Claire Throssell MBE. The room fell silent as the audience listened to honest, emotional and powerful conversations. It was one of those moments you know will stay with people long after the day ends. Alongside this, exhibitors from business and charity sectors showcased their work while connecting with hundreds of attendees. The day truly exceeded all my expectations.

In March, we launched Yorkshire Ladies Links membership. This came directly from the feedback we were hearing from exhibitors and attendees who wanted to be part of something ongoing, rather than just one conference a year. By April, we had over 50 members, with daily enquiries from businesses and charities wanting to join a community that felt welcoming, supportive and genuine.

Our first members meeting took place in May at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, kindly sponsored by Classic Lodge Hotels. Over 50 guests joined us for an afternoon of inspiration, conversation and collaboration. We surprised everyone by welcoming back Richard McCann and his daughter Skye as our guest speakers. On the same day, we announced the launch of a brand-new event – the Hellomynameis Business Showcase and Charity Lunch, also hosted at the Old Swan Hotel later in the year. The afternoon ended with drinks on the lawn in the sunshine, a perfect way to begin our members events.

June and July were busy planning months. As bookings opened for the Hellomynameis event, our membership grew to over 70 organisations, and conversations began flowing daily across our member WhatsApp group. Relationships were forming quickly, collaborations were happening naturally, and members were truly getting to know one another across Yorkshire. The feedback told us everything, the membership was working, and people wanted more opportunities to come together.

In August, we hosted our second members event at the beautiful Pavilions in Harrogate. We welcomed back Claire Throssell MBE, whose bravery in sharing her story and campaigning for change touched everyone in the room. Her determination to protect children now and for generations to come, while keeping her son’s memory alive, left a lasting impact.

That same day, we announced that the Yorkshire Voices Reset & Rise conference would return to the Pavilions in 2026, opening exhibitor bookings immediately. Once again, the afternoon ended in sunshine on the Great Yorkshire Showground.

October saw us deliver something completely new. The 'HellomynameIs' Charity Lunch and Business Showcase was an event that had never been done before. Guests were surprised with ten inspiring speakers, each sharing their story beginning with the words “hello my name is”. The event quickly became a talking point. I want to thank every speaker who took part and especially Chris Pointon, co-founder of the Hellomynameis campaign, for his support in helping bring the event to life. Through the raffle alone, £1,160 was raised for Leeds Hospitals Charity, thanks to the generosity of everyone in the room.

Charity is woven into everything we do. Each event comes with an opportunity to give back, raise awareness and support causes that matter. We are incredibly proud to have charities as members of our network and are committed to supporting them whenever opportunities arise. Giving back is just as important as building businesses or growing networks.

November was busy behind the scenes with renewals, exhibitor bookings and planning our final event of the year. Members also came together independently to support our charity members, Homeless Street Angels, at their Greatest Showman fundraising ball, a wonderful example of our community supporting one another.

Last week, we closed the year with our members Christmas lunch in Leeds. It was a festive, relaxed gathering that brought members together at the end of a very full year. Spending time together as members in a more intimate setting reminded us how meaningful these connections have become and why this community feels so different. Each member had the opportunity, if they wished, to share a few words or a fun fact, and we simply enjoyed being in each other’s company.

As we look ahead to 2026, plans are already well underway. February’s conference is coming together, guest speaker sessions are being booked, exhibitor sessions have launched and are free to attend, and further events are planned for March, May and November. Membership bookings for next year are already being launched, bringing together another inspiring group of organisations and individuals. 

The feedback I hear after each event, and through the conversations I have every day, makes all the time and energy worthwhile. We don’t simply offer memberships or exhibitor spaces; we give so much more. We listen, we support, and we do our best to make everyone feel welcome from the moment they join us.

Alongside running my other businesses and being a busy mum, I’ve met some incredible people over the years. But Yorkshire Ladies Links has truly had my heart this year.

Thank you for trusting us, for supporting every step, and for being part of something very special. I wish you a joyful festive season and look forward to everything we will create together in the year ahead.

With heartfelt thanks, Melanie Malcolm

Founder, Yorkshire Ladies Links

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Be part of what’s next.

Join us at the Reset & Rise Conference next February, a powerful day of inspiration, connection and collaboration you won’t want to miss.

Exhibitor and sponsor bookings are now open. To register your interest, please get in touch via our contact form on the website.

Free tickets are available for networking, with speaker sessions to be announced soon. Book your place now.