Women from across Cumbria and beyond have joined together to celebrate the spirit of female entrepreneurship.

More than 50 female entrepreneurs marked Women’s Entrepreneurship Day - which celebrates women in business across the globe - at a conference organised by Pink Link at The Villa Levens, near Kendal.

Pink Link hold business events across the North West to help connect and promote women in business.

The event, which took place last month, gave guests the chance to network and listen to keynote speakers, including Marcia Reid-Fotheringham, the High Sheriff of Cumbria.

Businesswomen from a range of industries attended including several Enterprise Vision Awards winners, bankers, caterers, gin-makers, life-coaches and interior designers.

The charity of the event, Unique Kidz and Co, raised funds and awareness of the work it does to support children and young adults with learning and physical disabilities in North Lancashire and Cumbria.

Other speakers were Susanna Lawson of One File and Kate Stewart of Vitality Homes.

Kate used her entrepreneurial drive and skills to become a millionaire at 26 and recently appeared on Channel 4’s The Secret Teacher where she helped students who were struggling with the educational system to become young entrepreneurs.

Susanna started her OneFile e-portfolio software company from her bedroom, which now employs 80 people with a multi-million pound turnover.

Both businesswomen were winners at the 2019 Enterprise Vision Awards.

Organiser Coral Horn, of Pink Link, said: “Cumbria is thriving with women looking to start businesses and increase the growth of existing ones.

“Our events welcome women from all sectors, regardless of whether they are businessowners, employees or thinking about a change of direction.

“It was great to see women exchanging ideas, building relationships and forging collaborations, showing that community over competition really does work.”