International Women's Day Brunch at University Arms
International Women's Day Brunch at University Arms
Join us for a special International Women's Day Brunch at University Arms, where we celebrate empowerment, inspiration, and connection over a delightful morning gathering. Whether you're joining with friends, colleagues, or loved ones, this event is the perfect way to mark March 8th in style.
Event Highlights:
Event Highlights:
Brunch by Parker's Tavern: Indulge in a delicious brunch curated by Executive Head Chef Lee Clarke. Enjoy a glass of prosecco and a selection of danishes on arrival, followed by your choice of Eggs Florentine, Eggs Royale, or Eggs Benedict.
Inspiring Talks: Join us for an inspiring panel featuring dynamic women sharing their journeys, passions, and what drives them. This engaging and relaxed conversation will explore their work, inspirations, and personal insights, offering a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and be inspired. Don’t miss this chance to hear their stories and gain valuable perspectives!
Creative Corner: Watercolour illustrations with Amanda Kirk and take home a memory of the day with The Snap Booth.
Networking & Connection: Meet and connect with like-minded women, expand your network, and share your experiences in a welcoming and inspiring setting.
Join us in celebrating the strength, achievements, and resilience of women while enjoying a memorable brunch in a stunning setting.
On the panel
Sophie Murphy
Sophie Murphy is the Co-Founder and Operations Director of Sanders & Jay, a multi award winning creative agency specialising in branding, websites, and marketing and producers of STONES Magazine. A London College of Fashion graduate with first-class honors, she built a successful career in high-end and high-street fashion, working with brands like Phase Eight, Coast, Oasis, John Lewis, and Gina Bacconi. During the pandemic, Sophie took a bold step into a new industry, joining her husband full-time at Sanders & Jay. Bringing her creative eye, strategic vision and energy, Sophie has helped transform the business, expanding its reach and working with both global and local brands. Alongside her leadership role, she is a design tutor at the London College of Fashion, a mum of four boys, and actively involved in school committees, proving that innovation, ambition, and balance can go hand in hand.
Julie Kervadec
Julie Kervadec is an expert in Marketing with a passion for positive Social and Environmental Impact. Julie has had an international career in Retail and Fashion, in multinational corporations and also as an entrepreneur. Julie started as a Fashion Industry Product Manager, developing clothing collections for hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide. After working in Madrid and Paris, she moved to Cambridge to launch her own eco-fashion brand. She was one of the first in the industry to raise awareness about the downsides of the fashion industry and the need for more sustainability. Julie has continued her work in sustainable consumer brands and has been serving on the boards of award-winning social ventures. Julie also works for a global Real Estate company where she is responsible for the Marketing strategy of Grand Arcade, Cambridgeshire’s leading shopping destination. She prioritises impactful events and campaigns which enliven the city and gather the local community around important topics. In 2022 Julie initiated the event Let’s Go Circular to showcase some of the best circular economy initiatives from Cambridgeshire. This campaign has now won multiple awards and is inspiring other shopping destinations to focus on this crucial topic.
Rohiny Belani
Hosting the Panel is Rohiny Belani, a contributing fashion editor for an award winning magazine in East Anglia. She is also a freelance model and stylist and has worked with many brands around the globe, including walking the catwalk at London Fashion Week and India Fashion Week. Rohiny is also a data protection specialist and works with Cambridge Press and Assessment giving advise on all matters relating to data protection and Privacy.
Francesca Abery
Francesca Abery MSW, is a working mother of two boys and after graduating from the University of Sussex with a degree in sociology, she began her career working in the housing sector. Here she supported people with a range of needs including mental health, drug and alcohol, learning disability and care leavers. Francesca then completed her master’s in social work and worked as a Senior Child Protection Social Worker in a London borough. When Francesca’s mother was diagnosed with incurable cancer, she joined her on her mission to create a charity to improve the lives of people who are financially affected by their diagnosis. Francesca worked alongside her mother for 5 years and grew the charity from its humble beginnings, (set up in a bedroom!) to a multi award winning UK service. Following the death of her mother in 2021, Francesca stepped up to become the Managing Director of ‘Something To Look Forward To’ and to continue her mothers legacy. With expertise in developing projects and empowering individuals through compassionate support services, Francesca is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by cancer poverty.
Alex Ruczaj
Alex is a writer, business mentor and events specialist. Alex started her working life as a PR specialist working for Weber Shandwick, and then founded her own agency in London in 1999. Spark Communications became one of PR Week’s fastest-growing agencies, handling global campaigns for many corporate clients. After selling her share of the agency, Alex moved to Cambridge, to raise her family in 2006, and began working with local entrepreneurs to help launch their brands and communication strategies, including the Cambridge Cookery School and the Cambridge Writing Retreat. She was also part of the team that brought Sunday Papers Live to Cambridge, as part of Cambridge University’s Festival of Ideas, and programmed these cultural events for a few years, whilst also broadcasting on Cambridge 105 as one of the hosts of the Bookmark radio show. Alex founded The Early Night Club in 2009 – a club night designed for people who like to dance but want to be home by midnight – mainly because she wanted somewhere to go and dance. When the parties took off in the city, they became a great way to raise funds for local and national causes. After a hiatus during the pandemic, the demand for 'Early Night Clubs' has gradually become stronger than ever, and these events are now Alex’s main focus as she looks to expand the brand beyond Cambridge. When she isn’t dancing, Alex writes, fiction and occasional reviews and features for local publications and websites.
Sharena Shiv
A Cambridge Business School alumna, Sharena is a former Microsoft and NatWest Group (Coutts Bank) professional who pursued her passion for property in 2017 by founding Devotion Property Management in Devon. She hosts the START UP. START NOW. podcast, raising awareness of British entrepreneurship through interviews with leaders like Ben Francis (Gymshark), Steven Bartlett (Dragon's Den), Holly Tucker (NotOnTheHighStreet) and Martin Lewis (MoneySavingExpert.com). A champion for gender equality, Sharena founded Aston Women in Business in 2014, empowering 3,000+ young women and hosting 100+ speaker sessions. Recognised by Deborah Meaden, Jamal Edwards MBE, and HRH The Duke of York, she was a finalist for the Asian Women of Achievement Social & Humanitarian Award (2022) and named an Inspirational Woman by WeAreTheCity (2022).
Sophie Murphy
Sophie Murphy is the Co-Founder and Operations Director of Sanders & Jay, a multi award winning creative agency specialising in branding, websites, and marketing and producers of STONES Magazine. A London College of Fashion graduate with first-class honors, she built a successful career in high-end and high-street fashion, working with brands like Phase Eight, Coast, Oasis, John Lewis, and Gina Bacconi. During the pandemic, Sophie took a bold step into a new industry, joining her husband full-time at Sanders & Jay. Bringing her creative eye, strategic vision and energy, Sophie has helped transform the business, expanding its reach and working with both global and local brands. Alongside her leadership role, she is a design tutor at the London College of Fashion, a mum of four boys, and actively involved in school committees, proving that innovation, ambition, and balance can go hand in hand.
Julie Kervadec
Julie Kervadec is an expert in Marketing with a passion for positive Social and Environmental Impact. Julie has had an international career in Retail and Fashion, in multinational corporations and also as an entrepreneur. Julie started as a Fashion Industry Product Manager, developing clothing collections for hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide. After working in Madrid and Paris, she moved to Cambridge to launch her own eco-fashion brand. She was one of the first in the industry to raise awareness about the downsides of the fashion industry and the need for more sustainability. Julie has continued her work in sustainable consumer brands and has been serving on the boards of award-winning social ventures. Julie also works for a global Real Estate company where she is responsible for the Marketing strategy of Grand Arcade, Cambridgeshire’s leading shopping destination. She prioritises impactful events and campaigns which enliven the city and gather the local community around important topics. In 2022 Julie initiated the event Let’s Go Circular to showcase some of the best circular economy initiatives from Cambridgeshire. This campaign has now won multiple awards and is inspiring other shopping destinations to focus on this crucial topic.
Rohiny Belani
Hosting the Panel is Rohiny Belani, a contributing fashion editor for an award winning magazine in East Anglia. She is also a freelance model and stylist and has worked with many brands around the globe, including walking the catwalk at London Fashion Week and India Fashion Week. Rohiny is also a data protection specialist and works with Cambridge Press and Assessment giving advise on all matters relating to data protection and Privacy.
Francesca Abery
Francesca Abery MSW, is a working mother of two boys and after graduating from the University of Sussex with a degree in sociology, she began her career working in the housing sector. Here she supported people with a range of needs including mental health, drug and alcohol, learning disability and care leavers. Francesca then completed her master’s in social work and worked as a Senior Child Protection Social Worker in a London borough. When Francesca’s mother was diagnosed with incurable cancer, she joined her on her mission to create a charity to improve the lives of people who are financially affected by their diagnosis. Francesca worked alongside her mother for 5 years and grew the charity from its humble beginnings, (set up in a bedroom!) to a multi award winning UK service. Following the death of her mother in 2021, Francesca stepped up to become the Managing Director of ‘Something To Look Forward To’ and to continue her mothers legacy. With expertise in developing projects and empowering individuals through compassionate support services, Francesca is dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by cancer poverty.
Alex Ruczaj
Alex is a writer, business mentor and events specialist. Alex started her working life as a PR specialist working for Weber Shandwick, and then founded her own agency in London in 1999. Spark Communications became one of PR Week’s fastest-growing agencies, handling global campaigns for many corporate clients. After selling her share of the agency, Alex moved to Cambridge, to raise her family in 2006, and began working with local entrepreneurs to help launch their brands and communication strategies, including the Cambridge Cookery School and the Cambridge Writing Retreat. She was also part of the team that brought Sunday Papers Live to Cambridge, as part of Cambridge University’s Festival of Ideas, and programmed these cultural events for a few years, whilst also broadcasting on Cambridge 105 as one of the hosts of the Bookmark radio show. Alex founded The Early Night Club in 2009 – a club night designed for people who like to dance but want to be home by midnight – mainly because she wanted somewhere to go and dance. When the parties took off in the city, they became a great way to raise funds for local and national causes. After a hiatus during the pandemic, the demand for 'Early Night Clubs' has gradually become stronger than ever, and these events are now Alex’s main focus as she looks to expand the brand beyond Cambridge. When she isn’t dancing, Alex writes, fiction and occasional reviews and features for local publications and websites.
Sharena Shiv
A Cambridge Business School alumna, Sharena is a former Microsoft and NatWest Group (Coutts Bank) professional who pursued her passion for property in 2017 by founding Devotion Property Management in Devon. She hosts the START UP. START NOW. podcast, raising awareness of British entrepreneurship through interviews with leaders like Ben Francis (Gymshark), Steven Bartlett (Dragon's Den), Holly Tucker (NotOnTheHighStreet) and Martin Lewis (MoneySavingExpert.com). A champion for gender equality, Sharena founded Aston Women in Business in 2014, empowering 3,000+ young women and hosting 100+ speaker sessions. Recognised by Deborah Meaden, Jamal Edwards MBE, and HRH The Duke of York, she was a finalist for the Asian Women of Achievement Social & Humanitarian Award (2022) and named an Inspirational Woman by WeAreTheCity (2022).
Sophie Murphy
Sophie Murphy is the Co-Founder and Operations Director of Sanders & Jay, a multi award winning creative agency specialising in branding, websites, and marketing and producers of STONES Magazine. A London College of Fashion graduate with first-class honors, she built a successful career in high-end and high-street fashion, working with brands like Phase Eight, Coast, Oasis, John Lewis, and Gina Bacconi. During the pandemic, Sophie took a bold step into a new industry, joining her husband full-time at Sanders & Jay. Bringing her creative eye, strategic vision and energy, Sophie has helped transform the business, expanding its reach and working with both global and local brands. Alongside her leadership role, she is a design tutor at the London College of Fashion, a mum of four boys, and actively involved in school committees, proving that innovation, ambition, and balance can go hand in hand.
Julie Kervadec
Julie Kervadec is an expert in Marketing with a passion for positive Social and Environmental Impact. Julie has had an international career in Retail and Fashion, in multinational corporations and also as an entrepreneur. Julie started as a Fashion Industry Product Manager, developing clothing collections for hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide. After working in Madrid and Paris, she moved to Cambridge to launch her own eco-fashion brand. She was one of the first in the industry to raise awareness about the downsides of the fashion industry and the need for more sustainability. Julie has continued her work in sustainable consumer brands and has been serving on the boards of award-winning social ventures. Julie also works for a global Real Estate company where she is responsible for the Marketing strategy of Grand Arcade, Cambridgeshire’s leading shopping destination. She prioritises impactful events and campaigns which enliven the city and gather the local community around important topics. In 2022 Julie initiated the event Let’s Go Circular to showcase some of the best circular economy initiatives from Cambridgeshire. This campaign has now won multiple awards and is inspiring other shopping destinations to focus on this crucial topic.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022
We, along with the rest of the nation, are mourning the loss of our longest reigning Monarch and pay homage to the inspirational individual, who has been selfless in her service to this country. Our deepest condolences to The Royal Family at this sad time.