Ballymena’s BPW bows out after more than 50 years

The Business and Professional Women’s Club has been going in the town for more than half a century but its dwindling membership in recent years has led to its demise, Ballymena Borough Councillors have heard. Their decision was highlighted at the latest monthly meeting of Council last Tuesday night by First Citizen, Cllr Hubert Nicholl who pointed out that over the years, Ballymena BPW had made a number of generous presentations to Council including a wardrobe of robes and a chain of office for the Mayoress.

He added that he had hosted a Mayoral Reception the previous evening for the Club during which members had presented him with their President’s Chain of Office. This, he said, would be placed on permanent display in the Mayor’s Parlour at The Braid. Due to their closure, members also asked Council to safekeep their wooden gavel and stand, a BPW tablecloth and a picture.

Cllr Nicholl said: “It is sad that this organisation has come to the stage where there are so few of them left to carry on”.

Set up in Ballymena in the 1950s, BPW benefitted its members by enabling them to gather with like-minded professional people at a local level. A non political organisation, BPW around the UK lobby on behalf of working women and its members can influence policies which affect women by talking with decision makers, locally, nationally and internationally.

Every year BPW UK holds a national public speaking competition designed to help young people from across the country to build their confidence and develop the vital life skill of speaking in front of an audience.