Women in Construction East Anglia, the Suffolk-based non-profit which works to create a more inclusive construction industry in the East of England, is marking a major milestone with a seaside event. Founder Clare Friel explains more
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.
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.”
Women in Construction Anglia Summer Social at the SeaYou Café and Restaurant in Felixstowe, takes place on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, from 5:30-8pm..Tickets for the evening, including discounted rates for students, can be found by visiting eventbrite.co.uk and searching “Women in Construction Anglia Summer Social”.
Featured image of Clare Friel by Farlie Photography
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