Dynamic businesswoman lands once in a lifetime Churchill Fellowship to help shape the future of gender parity in the UK

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 09/03/2018

A Birmingham woman who holds a senior management position at the UK’s largest independent co-operative has been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand her personal and professional horizons after being awarded a prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship.

Shaherazad Umbreen, Head of Customer and Marketing at Central England Co-op, is one of only a handful of people across the entire country to have been awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to help make a difference to communities and businesses across the UK.

The 41-year-old, who also operates her own business - Shoes by Shaherazad - will head overseas to Iceland and Kuwait to explore how women in these two very different countries empower themselves and other women to boost gender parity in the workplace.  Shaherazad will then bring what she has learned back to the UK in an effort to influence change in the British workplace and society.

She said: “I am incredibly proud to learn that I had been one of the few of people chosen as a Churchill Fellow.

“Britain has a challenging record when it comes to gender parity within the developed world. Iceland is one of the best and this can be seen by the number of women in senior leadership roles. Kuwait has very little poverty and yet has a poor historical record on women's rights; despite this a number of women have made hugely significant career breakthroughs.
“This project will allow me to take a closer look at what is happening in two very different countries and then see how we can empower women for the betterment of the British workplace.

“The aim of this project is to find ways in which women can practically help each other to alleviate gender disparity.
“My project will help to illustrate how women can help each other and that the process of significant and lasting change can start now.”

At Central England Co-op, Shaherazad has been a driving force in efforts to support diversity and inclusion, aligning these aims with the Society’s role as an ethical and responsible retailer.

Outside of work, her brand Shoes by Shaherazad - www.shaherazad.com - is based around the ethos of empowering women of the future.

This British luxury footwear brand has an ethical heart and every purchase directly supports the wellbeing of a woman or girl living in poverty through the ‘Solidarity by Shaherazad’ programme.

This has already seen women empowered everywhere from Kenya to Pakistan.

Shaherazad has landed one of 150 Churchill Fellowships that are awarded each year in several different subject areas ranging from enterprise to education. On average, over 1,000 applications are submitted every 12 months. The Churchill Fellowships are awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, a UK charity.

This year, the 2018 Fellows will visit 48 countries across six continents.

David Grady, Corporate Services Executive at Central England Co-op, sponsored Shaherazad’s bid to become a Churchill Fellow.

He said: “Shaherazad has an in-depth knowledge of her subject area and is a dynamic business leader who is passionate about her work with Central England Co-op and her own business.

“She is an inspirational woman who shows what you can achieve in business if you put your mind to it.

 “Everyone at Central England Co-op is extremely proud of what she has achieved.”

Julia Weston, Chief executive of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust said: “Applicants come from all backgrounds, ages and levels of experience and we fund them to investigate inspiring practice in other countries and then to bring those innovative ideas back for the benefit of people across the UK.

“Shaherazad will be a fantastic Churchill Fellow and a great representative in the UK and abroad. We are all excited to see what she learns and how she can use that knowledge to make a difference in the UK.”

Find out more about Shaherazad by visiting www.shaherazad.com/

Notes to editors

Picture caption: Shaherazad Umbreen, Head of Customer and Marketing at Central England Co-operative, has been named as a Churchill Fellow.

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. 

It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, and property investment.

Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2018.

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

Rob Smyth / Heather Clapton at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140

Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop

About the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

• 150 Churchill Fellowships are awarded each year to UK citizens aged over 18 from any background. No qualifications are required. They were set up by public subscription as a living memorial to Sir Winston Churchill on his death in 1965 and have been awarded to over 5,500 people since then. They are awarded by The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT), a UK charity.
• The aim is to explore global best practice in the issues facing Britain today, and bring back global insights to improve communities and professions across the UK. The Fellowships address contemporary issues, develop knowledge leaders and offer transformative opportunities to outstanding individuals.

For more details, see www.wcmt.org.uk