FEMALE professionals and entrepreneurs from York and North Yorkshire are taking part in a Government and EU funded project to empower women in business.

A total of 15 businesswomen have joined the programme run by national talent development company, Beyond 2030, based in York.

The three month initiative, named Visionary Women, and financed by the EU Social Fund and The Skills Funding Agency through York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership, offers bespoke coaching to enable women to focus on their business and professional ambitions.

It was devised by Beyond 2030 founder and chief executive, Toni Eastwood, a former director of talent and academy at Wm Morrison Supermarkets, who was awarded an OBE in 2007 in recognition of her work towards equal opportunities.

Ms Eastwood said: “More and more women are successful in business but many have responsibilities, experiences and needs that are different to men’s with natural physical and emotional stages when they must evaluate their commitments and aspirations to ensure that they get the best out of life.

“Visionary Women is an inspiring programme which enables them to establish their personal and professional goals and re-discover their confidence and enthusiasm about where they want their business to go by unlocking their potential and transcending the natural obstacles which arise and the barriers they put up as a result.

“Research suggests that 900,000 more British businesses would be created if the UK achieved the same level of female entrepreneurship as in the US, resulting in an additional £23 billion gross value added to the UK economy.”

One business woman taking part in the programme, Tarnia Hudson, a director of Hudson Moody estate agents, York, said: “The programme has been really useful in giving me confidence and renewing my determination as well as gaining clarity and prioritising activities at work and at home to achieve my goals.

“I have already implemented many of the changes needed to move our business forward including accelerating my original five-year plan. I feel a much stronger person for taking part in Visionary Women.”

Beyond 2030, which is based in Fulford, was founded in 2012, and boasts more than 125 years of combined experience in talent development including entrepreneurship, business growth and development; leadership and management, employability, diversity and inclusion and undertakes research into the issues and needs surrounding talent development.