Make space, explore complexity, create change.
A retreat for women leaders to focus on their working lives.
Why
At the beginning of the pandemic Helen and Abi started their “Friday conversations”, meeting online to reflect and share preoccupations, thoughts and feelings as the world started to unravel. These have continued every Friday, almost without fail. From these conversations emerged their longer working retreats, three or four time a year starting in July 2021. In person, away from home for three nights, many challenges were explored and resolved.
This experience is now being offered as a one day taster session to larger groups of women leaders to come together to make space, explore complexity and create change.
What
A one day retreat for 12-20 women in senior and leadership roles. In an exploratory thinking space, we invite you to bring dilemmas, challenges, puzzles, aspirations, ideas for innovation arising from your working lives. You will think together, gain alternative perspectives and insights, and receive support and nourishment in this facilitated environment.
We have found the experience to bring hope, repair and support, building our resilience and tolerance of complex pressures and demands.
Who
You might be in a leadership role, in a senior or board position. You could be a coach or consultant. You are likely to work in the Public or Third sector with the attendant pressures and complexity that these systems and roles present.
You might have questions like those preoccupying us before our retreats.
“I need to stop taking responsibility for what isn’t mine – how can I change that behaviour?”.
“How do I sustain myself in my role?”
“What am I doing and why?!”
“Where do I want to be in three years time?”
“What kind of work do I want to do in the last period of my working life?”
What do you want to discuss?
How
We will facilitate a structured approach to individual and collective exploration of experience for the day. We will work with the themes that arise in the whole group, pairs and quads. The agenda will be co-created, guided by our professional experience and what has worked so well for our own retreats.
There will be time for personal reflection, recreation and rest. There will be time for planting seeds.
When
Arrival on Friday 20th March 2026 at 10am for a 10.30 start. We will finish at 4.30pm.
For those of you want to extend your retreat there are some excellent local hotels and spas and we will be happy to provide details.
Where
We are delighted to have secured use of the world famous Beth Chatto Gardens in Elmstead Market, Essex. We can provide transport from Colchester Station which is a 45 minute train journey from London Liverpool Street. Lunch and refreshments will be provided and we will use both indoor and outdoor facilities to make the day memorable and transformative.
There is ample parking available.
Cost
We want this day to be as accessible as possible, so the retreat is priced on a break-even basis.
Places are limited to 20 with a minimum of 12 participants.
The cost for the day, including all refreshments and lunch, and access to the garden on Saturday 21st March is £175.00. To secure your place, please register your interest and we will provide a payment link.
Cancellations
Cancellation terms apply so that we can cover our costs, and we aim to keep these as fair and transparent as possible. Unfortunately, refunds are only available if we’re able to fill your place. We will hold a waiting list, and you’re also very welcome to transfer your place to a friend or colleague if you’re no longer able to attend. A full refund will be given if, for any reason, we have to cancel the event.
