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Funny Women’s courses and workshops have helped launch some incredible comedy careers and inspired some great public speakers. They also generate vital income for this non-profit organisation so that they can run the Funny Women Awards and provide valuable outreach support with initiatives like The Glitter Project. 

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Discover a variety of events designed to inspire, inform and empower, from career development tips to wellbeing workshops. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, expand your network or focus on self-care, our events calendar has something for everyone. Stay up to date and never miss an opportunity, check it out here.

Hosted by the Women Pivoting to Digital Taskforce in collaboration with Lloyds Banking Group, this event is for women based in Leeds who are considering a move into tech or digital roles and are interested in learning more about how to transition.

Career changing, coming back to work after an illness or long-term unemployment, or returning after a career break can be daunting, in this session our panellists will talk about barriers and how to overcome them. There will also be a chance to network with women working in tech or women who are also trying to career change.

We encourage women who may not have technical expertise but are still interested in making the switch to a digital role to join us – no prior experience is required!

When: Thursday 28^th January from 6-8pm
Where: Lloyds Banking Group, Wellington Place Office, Leeds
Register Here: Event registration

Whether you’re feeling unsure about where to start or curious to explore what’s possible, this event offers a supportive environment to ask questions, seek guidance, and start imagining your next steps.

What to Expect:

Engaging Panel Discussions – Hear from women who’ve successfully transitioned into digital careers.
Networking Opportunity – Connect with peers, mentors, and industry leaders.
Practical Insights – Gain actionable advice on upskilling, mindset, and embracing new challenges in tech.

Book your spot here

Ever dreamt of stepping into the spotlight at the prestigious Rising Star Awards? Here’s your chance to make it happen! Join our exclusive webinar featuring Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE, who will guide you through the journey to nomination success.

What You’ll Learn:

• Create an Impactful Nomination: Learn how to craft compelling stories that make your achievements stand out.
• Navigate the Awards Platform: Master our easy-to-use platform and streamline your submission process.
• Timelines & Categories: Get clarity on key dates and explore all the award categories available.
• Shortlisting Secrets: Understand what judges look for and maximise your chances of advancing.
• Celebrate Success: From winners’ announcements to the grand ceremony, discover what happens next and how WeAreTheCity supports its winners.

This is your moment to turbocharge your career and leave a lasting impression in your industry. Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE will share insider tips and help you on your path to Rising Star glory.

REGISTER HERE – Don’t miss this chance to elevate your profile!

It’s midwinter and the days are short, so ideal for a comedy ‘warm up’ and an opportunity to commune with your funny bones.  Spend an action-packed day with us and unleash your inner stand up diva, explore ideas for an award-winning sitcom or simply enjoy the ride with some like-minded women. 

We’ve combined elements of our popular Stand Up to Stand Out workshop and the Comedy Crash Course to create a one-day event designed to take you on a comedy journey without it being scary!  During the Winter Warm Up you will be introduced to some well know techniques to help you perform, write or create comedy or inject some humour into your everyday interactions, at work or play.

• Need a confidence boost?
• Want to write new comedy material and develop your performance style?
• Performing stand up comedy, presenting online or speaking in public for the first time?
• Nervous about using humour?
• Want to make new friends and influence people?!

Led by Funny Women founder Lynne Parker with some additional guidance from two incredible guest experts, the day will culminate in a showcase for you to show off what you’ve created.

Lynne Parker, the founder of Funny Women, has been running her comedy workshops since 2009 and has witnessed the genesis of many comedy careers through the Funny Women Awards and our programme of community events. Her initiative and guidance has enabled hundreds of women to gain the confidence to perform on stage and in the boardroom. Now that ‘performances’ have expanded to both in person and online environments, communication and presentation skills are a top priority.

Nic Lamont is an actor, writer and creative producer working in comedy, theatre, television and film. Her work has been featured on BBC, Amazon and Netflix. One half of creepy comedy duo The Twins Macabre, she has toured national and international theatres. Nic’s full length plays dark comedy plays The Darklings, What the Dolls Saw and Mary Shelley: Muthamonster have been produced in venues across London. Specialising in Improvisation and Character Comedy, Nic is also co-director of performing arts company Medway Play Lab CIC and runs regular improvisation workshops in Kent. As part of the Glitter Project, Nic is the Medway Producer for Funny Women, hosting monthly Mentoring Meet-Ups and Open Mic nights.

Anna Coane is a TV series producer with 20 years’ experience of making scripted and unscripted comedy, entertainment and fact/ent shows for all the major broadcasters (including BBC, C4, C5, ITV, Sky, Comedy Central, TLC, and Discovery). She is experienced in the studio, on location, and in the edit, and her credits include The Graham Norton Show, Saturday Kitchen, Live At The Electric, Celebrity Big Brother, Peep Show, and more. Anna has written, script edited, and overseen the script process on numerous series, most recently I Can Do It You Can Too (80 scripts for CBeebies). She has written with/for some of the biggest names in UK comedy and entertainment, including Julian Clary, Josh Widdecombe, Omid Djalili, Alexander Armstrong, Julie Walters, Tom Allen, Suzi Ruffell, Romesh Ranganathan, Rob Lowe, Steph Todd and more…

This workshop covers:

• Building the confidence to perform
• Developing your personal style or ‘persona’
• Introducing techniques to create new material
• Writing and developing comedy
• Advice on how to ‘up your game’ and be memorable.

What’s included?

The Groucho Club is the perfect winter hide away for this event. Tea, coffee, morning pastries, light lunch bites and cookies are included in your ticket price.  Common food intolerances and preferences are taken into account.

Testimonials:

‘I recently took part in Stand Up to Stand Out. As a woman who has fought her way through business for many years now, determined in my mission to be ‘me’ – I really enjoyed Lynne’s approach. Being yourself, being ready to tell stories, laugh, amuse yourselves and each other – surely that’s all part of life?’

‘Too often we are restricted by the expectations of others, especially as a woman in business. This session was expertly led by Lynne, who made everyone feel welcome, but also emboldened. Within no time, absolute strangers were giggling hysterically and cheering each other on.’

‘I recently attended the Stand Up to Stand Out Workshop at the Groucho Club. It really pushed me out of my comfort zone but I felt supported by Lynne in this. I will be able to use what I learnt about the power of humour and my increased confidence in storytelling to deliver more compelling client presentations and, who knows, maybe even try stand up!’

‘Lynne is the most knowledgeable person I have met during my comedy career and I would recommend her to anyone/if not everyone; whether you’re starting out in comedy or you would like to be better at public speaking/improving your confidence – Lynne is the person to work with – she is hilarious, empowering and incredibly kind.’

‘I had a wonderful time on the Stand Up to Stand Out workshop. Lynne coached us with skill and humanity, creating a community from a group of strangers. And we were all really funny! To any woman thinking of going on the course, I’d say it’s one of the best investments you can make in yourself.’

Half price for members of The Groucho Club and Funny Women Patreon Members.

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