Women in Property announces new National Chair

February 19, 2024

Women in Property (WiP), the influencing and networking organisation for the property and construction industry, has announced that Jennifer Winyard, from Barratt Homes Yorkshire West, will become its next National Chair.

Jennifer, who is Senior Strategic Land & Planning Manager at Barratt Homes Yorkshire West, will take up the post for one year from 1 March.

Women in Property uses its platform to influence Government, including the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women in Work. Amongst the issues that the APPG has influenced are Women Returners, Making the Industrial Strategy Work for Women, How to Recruit Women for the 21st Century, Inclusivity and Intersectionality, The Impact of COVID-19 on women in the workplace, and the recruitment and retention of women in construction for the 7th Inquiry for Excellence in the Built Environment.

Women in Property works to encourage girls and young women to consider a career in property and construction through school outreach projects and the National Student Awards. In tandem with the work that Women in Property is doing to plug the skills gap in the construction sector, Barratt is taking a lead amongst housebuilders to overcome the shortage in skills in the sector – driven by an ageing workforce and Brexit – by launching an outreach initiative to 1 million young people over the next two years.

Jennifer Winyard, a dual qualified Surveyor and Planner, said: “Encouraging girls to consider a career in property and construction has been a major focus for me, throughout my professional life. My lived experience of this industry highlights the fantastic scope it offers across all sectors. There is still more to do to encourage more people, particularly girls and young women, to make it their future too. I want to help change mindsets and unlock the potential they offer.

“Programmes in the sector, such as Barratt’s and Women in Property’s school outreach, Student Awards and Mentoring programmes, which run across the UK, are an important part of ensuring that the new generation comes into property and construction.”

David Thomas, Chief Executive of Barratt Developments, added: “Jennifer’s appointment as Chair of Women in Property reflects her determination to attract more women into the sector, and then to provide the mentorship that enables them to succeed across a wide variety of roles. She will bring boundless energy and insight to this new role, which will benefit the wider property and construction sector.”

After joining Women in Property in 2007, Jennifer has been Yorkshire & North-East branch Chair, a Mentoring Ambassador and Student Awards Ambassador, leading the organisation’s National Student Awards programme, which is now in its 18^th year. She has also been re-elected to the RTPI’s General Assembly where members debate Planning policy and practice. As an experienced mentor, Jennifer supports fellow professionals through their RTPI and RICS APCs, as well as on the WiP cross-discipline mentoring programme.

Outgoing National Chair, Chithra Marsh of Buttress Architects, will support Jennifer in her role, as will Emma Richman, Director of Operations at Peaks & Plains Housing Trust, who becomes National Vice Chair on 1 March. Emma, a qualified Architect and Building Surveyor, is also an Independent Non-Executive Director at First Choice Homes, Oldham. In addition, the National Team is supported by Women in Property’s Board of Directors.

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