BANES WLN Annual Summit: We Rise Together

Join us on Friday 30th January 2026 for our 2nd BANES WLN Summit!

The event is being organised and hosted by Hannah Wilson, Leadership Development Consultant, Coach and Trainer, Director of the Belonging Effect and Founder of BANES WLN.

Our Purpose:

• The BANES WLN Summit is an opportunity to connect, to be inspired and to be empowered; a space to collaborate, learn and develop.
• Our network is now 500+ strong so it is an opportunity to develop in-person connections with peers and role models from our community.

Our Audience:

• The BANES WLN Summit is an inclusive event for existing and aspiring women leaders in all sectors, from the region, and beyond.
• Our allies and sponsors are also very welcome to join us as delegates and exhibitors.
• We have a bigger space this year so we can increase our capacity so we are able to accommodate 200 delegates.

Our Feedback from Last Year:

• "It was a brilliant experience".
• "Thank you, such an amazing start to 2025. So well organised, thought provoking and impactful".
• "The psychological safety of the event was very special and was the key attribute for me".
• "It was a great reminder of how a band of women can be so supportive".
• "Thank you for taking the initiative to set this up - we really needed something like this in Bath and it has the potential to make a big difference to aspiring female leaders locally".

Our Theme This Year:

• This year the BANES WLN Summit will explore the theme of: We Rise Together - Being, Becoming and Belonging.
• We rise by lifting ourselves. We rise higher by lifting each other.
• Inspired by Andra Day and her anthem: Rise Up.
• Inspired by Maya Angelou and her poem: Still I Rise.

Our Hosts:

• We are delighted that the UWE Business School is hosting us this year - their sponsorship of this event is much appreciated.
• Their full address is University of the West of England, Frenchay Campus. Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, BS16 1QY.

Our Event:

The BANES WLN Summit promises to be a day of dynamic learning including:

• keynote speakers
• workshops
• panel speakers
• table discussions
• marketplace exhibitors

Our Agenda:

8.30am Exhibitors arrive to set up the Marketplace

9.00am Registration for delegates/ coffee and networking/ marketplace

9.20am Welcome to BANES WLN and Event Housekeeping - Hannah Wilson

9.30am A Welcome and Introduction to UWE - Professor Susan Durbin, Dr Sarah Louise Weller , Emilie Culwick and Professor Hugo Gaggiotti

9.45am Part 1: Becoming HER: Uncovering Identity, Strength, and Belonging - opening keynote by Dr Joanitha Ntangeki

10.30am Comfort break/ marketplace

10.45am Part 2: Being, Becoming and Belonging - 4 workshops to choose from:

• Being Brave & Leading with Courage in 2026: Understanding Burnout & Self Sabotage with Kim Ingleby
• Female Entrepreneurs Who Turned Their Side Hustle Into Their Primary Income: How, When, and Why with Dr Natalie Campbell
• Creating a culture of belonging with Amy Sawbridge

• Pathways to Employment : Empowering Women Back into the Workplace with Professor Susan Durbin and Emilie Culwick with guests Claire Dormand and Imogen Franklin

11.30am Comfort break/ marketplace

11.45am Part 3: Being, Becoming and Belonging - 4 workshops to choose from:

• Being Generous with Emma Beeston
• Becoming Your Own Champion - shifting your internal narrative with Deborah Ross
• It’s Not You, It’s the System: Rethinking Imposter Phenomenon with Caroline Clark
• Resilience, Empowerment and Rising Together : The Power of Networks with Professor Susan Durbin and Dr Tinkuma Edafioghor with guest Mabel Still

12.30pm Lunch break/ marketplace

1.30pm Part 4: Being, Becoming and Belonging - 4 workshops to choose from:

• Drawing the System: How women leaders see the whole picture with Kelly Challis
• Becoming Brave: How to Master your Nerves and Make Bold Moves (Without Faking It, Forcing It or Freaking Out) with Natalia Kasnakidis
• Advocating for Flourishing: Can a shared purpose create both belonging and mattering, whilst also lifting up others? with Emily Norman and Isla Johnson
• Rising Together: The Power of Being, Becoming, and Belonging in Leadership

with Hannah Wilson

2.15pm Comfort break/ marketplace

2.30pm Part 5: We Rise Together - Being, Becoming and Belonging - closing panel

• Moderator: Tammy Potter
• Panellists: Hilary Salzman, Jazz Carlin OLY, Megan Andrews, Professor Penny Hay and Vanessa White

3.15pm Closing reflections and pledges

3.30pm Event closes

Our Tickets:

• Our early bird ticket price is £125+VAT per person.
• Our reduced ticket rate for charities is £100+VAT per person.
• Our full ticket price is £150+VAT per person.
• Our group ticket discount price is £500+VAT for 5 places.
• Your BANES WLN Summit ticket gets you: a day’s dynamic learning; a bustling marketplace; a community of new connections and a lovely lunch. Plus FREE parking!

Our Collaborative Partners:

• We are delighted that C-Me are supporting the event by gifting all attendees a complimentary C-me Behavioural Profile (RRP £99)
• We will be hosting a follow-up webinar with them for all attendees on Feb 11th 2026 from 1-2pm

Our Marketplace:

• We have room for 12 exhibitors to join us.
• Get in touch if you would like to network with 200+ leaders ranging from consultants to coaches, directors to founders, Headteachers to CEOs.
• A spot in the marketplace is £300+VAT per stall for corporates and £150+VAT per stall for charities and 3rd sector (you can bring up to 2 representatives with you).

Our Exhibitors:

• Amplify - Bath Uni Student Group
• Bath Spa University: Centre for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange
• Bath Women's Fund - Giving Circle
• Belonging Effect - DEIB Training
• C-Me - Psychometic Colour Testing
• Cultivate C&T - Coaching and Tutoring
• Energised Performance
• Hannah Wilson - Leadership Development
• LoveWell UK
• Mighty Girls
• Sisters Talk Foundation
• Smart Works
• Sounds Joyful
• UWE Bristol
• Young Carers Development Trust

Our Event Summary:

• When? Friday 30th January 2026, 9.00-3.30pm
• Where? UWE Business School, Frenchay
• What? A day of keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshops about rising together and being, becoming and belonging as leaders.
• Who? 200 existing and aspiring cross-sector women leaders and their allies/ sponsors.
• Why? An opportunity to connect, to be inspired and to be empowered. A space to collaborate, learn and develop.

Our Sponsorship Opportunities:

• If you would be interested in sponsoring an aspect of the conference e.g. the coffee, the lunch, the tote bags, then do get in touch.

Our contact details:

• For more information please contact Hannah: hello@hannah-wilson.co.uk
• You can find out more about the BANES WLN network here.
• You can join the networking group on LinkedIn here.