Women-led hubs for collaboration 'important'

Lynne Franks, who set up the hub, said "magic happens when women get together"

Having working spaces for women to collaborate and exchange ideas is "important" for them to have a voice, a freelancer says.

PR consultant Dana Amma Day has signed up to the women-led the SEED Hub Club, which opened in Wincanton, Somerset, on Monday.

Ms Day, who is based in Bridgwater, said the new hub was "wonderful" and would allow women to support one another.

Kate Skerritt, who manages the hub, added it would be a place for women to "feel safe to be themselves".

The SEED Hub Club was set up by Lynne Franks OBE, who is said to have inspired the character Edina Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous and worked in public relations for London Fashion Week.

It is a continuation of Ms Frank's concept of SEED (Sustainable Enterprise and Empowerment Dynamics), which she designed in 2000 and is a method she describes as a "more feminine approach to business".

The centre offers co-working and mentoring specifically for women in the heart of the town.

'Be at ease'

Ms Day said: "There's so many interesting women in Somerset, so for us all to meet here and share ideas is wonderful.

"Being self-employed is sometimes lonely. It's so important at this time that women come together."

Ms Day said she preferred working at women-only spaces rather than those "more dominated by men".

"I think we can be more comfortable," she said.

"It's nice to support one another and to be completely at ease with ourselves."

Ms Skerritt said she was keen to be involved with the hub as "sometimes women lose their voice when it's a mixed community".

"Sometimes you need to have other women around you who respect your space and allow you to express yourself without judging you," she said.

The hub in Wincanton will offer local women a place to work, collaborate and exchange ideas

Ms Franks, who was awarded an OBE in 2018, has been working with other enterprise-focused business clubs for more than 10 years.

She said: "Magic happens when women get together; unexplainable coincidences arise, new friendships form, business collaborations spark and inspirational stories emerge."

Ms Franks said that in recent years things have changed a lot for women.

"So many women are working from home now, working around their children's school hours, perhaps their children have gone off to university, perhaps they haven't got children but they prefer to work from home, and it can be a very lonely way to do things," she added.

The hub will be available five days a week for those either self-employed, running a local business or not-for-profit organisation, or simply wanting to explore and gain advice on launching a new enterprise.

Membership starts from £45 per month.