25/08/2026

Construction social enterprise to mark major milestone with seaside event

A previous Women in Construction Anglia event at West Suffolk College. Credit: Farlie Photography/Women in Construction Anglia

A Suffolk non-profit working to create a more inclusive construction industry in the East of England is marking a major milestone with a seaside event.

Women in Construction Anglia (WICA), is hosting its first ever Summer Social at SeaYou Cafe & Restaurant in Felixstowe this September – bringing together big names from across the region’s construction industry.

It is hoped the evening of barbecues and music by the sea will provide the perfect backdrop for networking and bringing together people passionate about building a more inclusive, supportive and collaborative construction sector.

Clare Friel, Founder of WICA, said: “We’re really looking forward to hosting our first ever Summer Social.

“Aside from a chance to mingle and enjoy some great food, it’s a chance to foster connections and build new opportunities for people looking to join or progress in the industry.

“Our previous events have proved a huge success, whether that’s student takeovers at local colleges or speaking at the House of Commons – and we’re confident our first Summer Social will be a big hit too.” 

The event comes as WICA celebrates the first anniversary of its online platform, which helps create valuable networking and mentorship opportunities for those already working in or looking to join the construction industry. 

The social enterprise has also been shortlisted in the Network of the Year category at the upcoming Inspiring Women in Construction & Engineering Awards in September and is celebrating 18 months of a partnership with the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce. 

Clare Friel, Founder of Women in Construction Anglia and Editor of Construction Anglia. Credit: Farlie Photography/Women in Construction Anglia

Clare added: “This has been an incredible couple of years for us as a movement, from setting up our online platform to officially becoming a social enterprise earlier this year and hiring our first ever employee.

“We’ve already helped hundreds of people, from students to career switchers, but we’re not done yet.

“A huge thank you to our generous sponsors Paragon Resource Solutions for helping us bring together the industry for what’s sure to be a great night of food, music and meaningful conversation.” 

Tickets for the evening on September 23, including discounted rates for students, can be found here.

This article was written by

Oliver Sullivan
Features Writer

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