April 23, 2025
High profile names announced for event celebrating women in maritime
Nusrat Ghani MP and BMT chief executive Sarah Kenny OBE will be among the headline speakers at ‘Waves of Influence’, as organisers confirmed the event would take place on the 9th July to celebrate women across maritime.
Arranged by The Seafarers’ Charity and Sailors’ Children’s Society, ‘Waves of Influence’ will celebrate the successes of women in the sector, as well as reflecting on the challenges and opportunities they face in 2025 and beyond.
The event will feature a fundraising lunch held at Fishmongers’ Hall on Wednesday 9th July, supported by The Fishmongers’ Company and Trinity House. Attendees already confirmed include The Stelios Foundation, BMT, law firm Hill Dickinson, industry body OCIMF, and the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA).
The keynote speaker will be Sarah Kenny OBE. Kenny is the chief executive for BMT, a leading international scientific and engineering technical services and consulting business. She is also a member of the UK Defence Innovation Advisory Panel, co-chairs the National Shipbuilding Office SEG group, and is an Elder Brother of Trinity House.
Veteran broadcaster and TV presenter Jenni Falconer will host the event, while star of BBC’s ‘Flog It!’ Caroline Hawley will run an auction raising money for the two charities.
“
Despite making up just a small percentage of the seafaring workforce, women have played an outsized role in the seafaring world for generations. This will be an excellent opportunity not just to mark the triumphs of women in maritime, but also to spread awareness of the challenges they face, and how the whole maritime family can best support them.
Deborah Layde
chief executive of The Seafarers’ Charity
“
At Sailors’ Children’s Society, we are proud to stand alongside women in maritime past, present, and future. ‘Waves of Influence’ is a celebration of leadership, resilience, and progress, and a powerful reminder of how vital it is to continue breaking down barriers. We’re thrilled to be co-hosting this event to honour the impact of women across the sector, and to raise funds to support seafaring families when they need it most.
Natasha Barley
CEO of Sailors’ Children’s Society
A limited number of tables and sponsorship packages remain available for the event, and to book a place, potential attendees should contact: events@theseafarerscharity.org.
