Introducing our new look pro-parent Committee

Ahead of Mother’s Day 2024, we wanted to share the exciting news that Pro Manchester has a new look pro-parent Committee. While we have retained some fantastic familiar faces, we have also welcomed a tranche of new talent to the team.

Our mission is to identify the issues and challenges facing parents working in the region and help to address them through a programme of events, activities, and content.

Our next event, on 12^th June, will welcome a panel of non-birthing parents. Attendees will learn how our panel has tackled the challenges of becoming a new parent in the workplace, the positive experience of taking extended leave and how boundaries are altered to support a successful work and family life. Click here to find out more and to book your ticket.

If you are interested in getting involved in any of our pro parent events or activities, we would love to hear from you. We are always keen to engage with people from a variety of backgrounds, with interesting stories to tell, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming activity and we look forward to meeting you at one of our events very soon.

Sarah Lawless – Chair

Aswell as being the Chair of the Pro Parent committee, Sarah is a Senior Consultant for The PHA Group, a leading PR and digital agency which focuses on delivering real impact. Sarah specialises in corporate PR, with experience working with many big brands in the property, financial, legal, and professional services sectors.

Sarah is passionate about giving busy working parents a voice and building a supportive and inclusive community. Having had her daughter in lockdown, and her twins less than a year ago, she knows only too well the juggle of working in a fast-paced environment whilst also trying to be the best parent she can be to her three young children.

Jessica Kraja

Jess is a Legal Director at Weightmans LLP, a national law firm, based in the Manchester office. She specialises in commercial litigation and heads up the team in Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow.  Jess has two daughters, has a demanding job and has always worked full time, and so understands the real-life juggle all of that entails. Jess has been a member of the committee since 2019 and is passionate about sharing information, support and guidance on the whole spectrum of issues that we navigate as working parents.

Lucy Barnett

Lucy is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Maldron Hotel Manchester City. She has worked for the last 15 years in hospitality in the City Centre after moving over to Manchester from Yorkshire when she was 21. She has a 7-year-old son Reggie who also has the same passion for hotels!

After coming back from maternity leave into full time work and spending almost all of her wages on childcare, she realised a lot of people would have to make the choice whether to continue their career or step out due to the soaring costs. Lucy is passionate about bringing awareness to this issue and has joined the committee to support working parents with advice she wishes was available when she made the transition back from maternity leave.

George Crawshaw

I am George, The Commercial Partnerships Manager at Sale Sharks Rugby Club. I work across all commercial opportunities for the club, from bringing new sponsors/ partners on board to managing a team of hospitality sales rock stars! I have recently welcomed my son Henry into the world with my partner Alexandra which has been one of the most rewarding experiences, and I’m loving every second of being a new dad! In between all the swimming classes, baby sensory and park runs, my passion in life is Golf. I worked in the golf industry for over 15 years prior to joining sharks, but for obvious reasons (Henry) my game has taken a bit of hit recently! I am joining the Pro Parent committee to expand my knowledge of parenting and to pass my learnings on as a new parent whilst balancing a busy role.

Vicki Fagan

Vicki is an Employment Solicitor and Associate at Myerson Solicitors LLP, a North West award-winning ‘Top Tier’ law firm. She advises employers and senior executives on all aspects of employment-law and specialises in providing advice, training and representation in relation to pregnancy and maternity discrimination and other family-friendly rights. As a full-time working mum of three-year-old twin daughters, Vicki understands the pressures on parents, how employers can take a commercial and constructive approach to their obligations and is passionate about facilitating the effective inclusion of parents in the workplace.

Emma Murphy

Emma is a Development Manager at TLC: Talk Listen Change, a relationships charity which believes everyone should be surrounded by safe, healthy, happy relationships. The charity provides counselling, mediation support and behaviour change programmes for people who use harm and projects within the community.

With 2 children at Secondary School, Emma has been part of the Pro Parent Committee for 12 months.

Georgina Breeze

Georgina is a Client Director at Brown Shipley who are a Boutique Private Bank based in Manchester and across the country. She helps business owners with their personal finances whilst they are running a business and helps them plan for exit and beyond.

Georgina has two children in Primary school and holds a voluntary role as chair of the Governing board. She joined the Pro parent committee in 2023 and is passionate about helping to improve the educational outcomes for children with SEND and supporting other parents with information about the support they can access.

Yvonne Ebdon

With over 25 years’ experience within the spa and wellbeing space, Yvonne has recently joined Tommy’s with a passion and keen interest in supporting businesses and employees from a workplace wellbeing perspective.

With a lived experience of baby loss, Yvonne is passionate about ensuring families have the support they require within the workplace as well as out.