Photo caption: Alan Mak MP with the Active8Minds team
Havant MP Alan Mak has praised Emsworth entrepreneur Jodie Sheppard in Parliament and cited her as a role model at a prestigious national summit for women entrepreneurs.
Mak was recently elected Chairman of the Parliament’s All-Party Group for Entrepreneurship, which brings together MPs from all parties to champion new businesses and business leaders. Supporting women business leaders is at the top of his agenda as Chairman.
During a session in the House of Commons on women’s role in business, Mak praised Jodie Sheppard as a role model for local women interested in starting a business. Sheppard has founded Active8 Minds, a new business based in Emsworth that runs fitness classes for children, working with local schools. Mak visited Active8 Minds recently to meet Jodie, her business partner Dan Janowski and their growing staff team.
Mak also praised Sheppard at the launch of the UK Women's Economic Blueprint developed by Pink Shoe Foundation, one of the country’s leading business clubs for women. Held at the Shard on 28th October 2015, the summit brought together some of Britain’s leading women business owners.
Alan Mak MP said: “Local entrepreneurs like Jodie Sheppard are fantastic role models and I was delighted to visit her business and praise her both in Parliament and at the summit. If women started their own businesses at the same rate as men do, we would have an extra 1 million women involved and an extra 1 million businesses across the UK including across Havant. I hope more women will follow Jodie’s example!”
Jodie Sheppard, founder Active8 Minds, said: “Our aim is to increase children’s exposure to physical activity through fun and engaging sports and games. Running my own business has been extremely gratifying and I would encourage other women to do the same.”
Gosport MP & Women and Equalities Minister Caroline Dinenage said: “Jodie Sheppard, who founded Active8 Minds in Havant, is an excellent example of a capable woman running her own business and will, I am sure, be delighted with the fantastic plug her MP has given her business. “