The Athena Network - Reading and Henley

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The Athena Network is THE # 1 referral network for business women. They will have access to a network of high calibre connections.

If you are a business lady and would like to grow personally & professionally - visit one of our monthly meetings - make quality connections/build relationships KNOW LIKE TRUST! The Athena Network Reading and Henley has six thriving and energetic groups across the region. The meetings are held on the:

East - 1st Wednesday of the month
Virtual - 2nd Tuesday
North - 2nd Wednesday
Central - 2nd Thursday
Henley - 3rd Tuesday
South - 4th Thursday
Cappuccino Connections - 4th Tuesday

We are currently networking online and all of our monthly formal meetings start at 12noon and finish at 2pm. The Cappuccino Connections meeting is our informal/drop in meeting and that starts at 10.30am until 12noon. The professions that we are inviting visitors to attend and experience an Athena Network meeting within the Reading and Henley region are:

Corporate business ladies who may have a connection to a Women's Leadership group within their organisation. The opportunity to up-skill and enhance your employee and customer experience through valuable training, collaboration and connections. We are a women-only network and the benefits of membership go far beyond our meetings meaning everyone will gain something. Solicitors - family, private client, commercial, employment
Accountants and Bookkeepers
Travel Consultants
Marketing - PR and SEO consultants
Garden Designers
HR professionals
Estate Agents
Architects
Interior Designers
VA and Admin support
Business Process experts
Financial Advisors
IT specialists
Sales trainers
Learning and Development consultants
Health and Safety in the workplace executives
HR Advisors
Coaches - personal, business, branding
Website designers
Graphic designers
Food/cake producers
Holistic healers/practitioners
Dance/Yoga/Pilates
Photographers
Magazines/Newspapers
Domiciliary care/Care Homes
Florists
Retail shops
Hairdressers
Beauty - Make up professionals
Nutritionists
Fitness Experts

All meetings are subject to one profession and visitors are able to attend one formal meeting before deciding on joining The Athena Network - Reading and Henley region.

09/10/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at The Athena Network Reading Central yesterday for our latest Business Development Training with Sara Brandis.

Sara delivered a really insightful and thought-provoking session, Reflect to Perfect, giving us the opportunity to step away from the day-to-day and spend some valuable time reflecting on our businesses and, importantly, our ‘why’.

Through a series of practical exercises and thought-provoking questions, Sara got us thinking about our core values, motivations and what drives us in our businesses.

There were some really interesting questions that could apply to any of us, at any time, and a great reminder that it’s always valuable to go back to our why — particularly on the harder days. Remembering that little nugget of what we do and why we do it can give us something to come back to when we need it most.

A really valuable opportunity to pause, reflect and reconnect, with plenty of insights and takeaways to think about.

Thank you, Sara, for such an insightful session and for getting us all thinking a little differently about our businesses and ourselves.

If you're looking for supportive business networking, inspiring speakers and practical learning that helps your business grow, we'd love to welcome you to a future Athena meeting. Come along as a visitor, meet like-minded business owners and experience the Athena community for yourself.

08/10/2026

We were delighted to welcome Alex Benedict to The Athena Network Reading East yesterday, who delivered a thought-provoking Business Development session: From Sitting Healthy to Being Comfortably Compliant.

Alex got us thinking about something many of us take for granted — how we sit and how our posture can affect our health and wellbeing.

The statistics around sickness absence and the health issues associated with prolonged sitting and poor posture were certainly food for thought.

Alex also explained the importance of Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments, not only from a health and wellbeing perspective, but also from a legal and compliance point of view.

For business owners and employers, we explored what DSE assessments mean in practice, including what our responsibilities are when we have employees or contractors working for us.

A really useful session, with plenty of practical information and lots learnt. Thank you, Alex!

If you're looking for supportive business networking, inspiring speakers and practical learning that helps your business grow, we'd love to welcome you to a future Athena meeting. Come along as a visitor, meet like-minded business owners and experience the Athena community for yourself.

06/10/2026

A warm welcome to Sara Brandis, who will be leading our Reading Central Business Development Training: Reflect to Perfect

As we head into autumn, this inspiring session is all about the power of reflection and the value of taking time to hear ourselves.

This talk is about reflection and the value of taking time to hear ourselves, to dig into what our core values and drivers are when it comes to our businesses.

Sara will lead a reflective practice which will require a pen and paper! The goal is to freshen up our connection or to collect new insights into why we do what we do. The 'why' for this is to help us move into the autumn with renewed energy for our businesses.

When we connect to our why, it really helps build resilience within us.
Sara believes that we all do our best thinking when we are really heard and understood. Her coaching, often with parents, focuses on creating a safe environment and trust so that this can happen for her clients.

Join us on Thursday 8 October for this session.

Visitors are welcome, and we are especially looking for new members from these professions: Private Client Solicitor, Business Coach, Local Charity, Marketing Professional and Interior Designer.

For existing members who would like to Pass+, here is the link https://forms.gle/TUzbG1TPCLnnh5LT8

30/09/2026

A warm welcome to Alex Benedict, who will be leading our Reading East Business Development Training: From sitting healthy to being comfortably compliant.

How often do you stop and think about your posture during the working day? Most of us spend hours sitting at desks, commuting or relaxing on the sofa, often without realising the impact these habits can have on our wellbeing.

Alex is passionate about helping people develop greater awareness of their body and posture. Through education, practical tools and simple techniques, she empowers individuals to understand the effects posture can have on their health, wellbeing and daily comfort.

In this engaging session, Alex will help you tune into the messages your body is sending you, whether you're sitting at your workstation, working from home, travelling, or simply standing in a queue. Understanding what your body is telling you is the first step towards preventing discomfort and living with greater ease.

Alex brings a wealth of expertise, combining her experience as a qualified HSE professional, Hatha Yoga teacher and Thai Yoga Massage practitioner, as well as studying Well Woman Yoga and Ayurveda lifestyle and nutrition.

We look forward to learning from Alex and discovering practical ways to improve our health, comfort and wellbeing throughout the working day.

Join us on Wednesday 7 October for this session.

Visitors are welcome, and we are especially looking for new members from these professions: Independent Financial Adviser, Marketing Professional and Photographer.

For existing members who would like to Pass+, here is the link https://forms.gle/TUzbG1TPCLnnh5LT8

25/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at The Athena Network Reading South this week for our Business Development Training with Colette Bane.

It was a really thought-provoking session exploring the different types of relationships in our lives, personal and professional, and how we can navigate them when they come to an end.

Colette shared three great tips for gracefully exiting a relationship, with “breathe” being the one that really resonated with everyone. Sometimes taking a moment before we react can make all the difference.

She also shared some really valuable advice about seeking legal guidance early — ask the questions at the beginning and you may avoid having to unravel things later.

The session was highly interactive, with Colette helping us explore how the women in the room could support one another. A great reminder of the importance of finding your tribe and knowing who you can turn to.

Thank you, Colette, for such a generous session and for highlighting the knowledge and expertise within the room.

Thank you, Colette, for such an engaging session, and for showcasing so many of the talented business women in the room. It was a great reminder of the knowledge, experience and support we have within our Athena community.

If you're looking for supportive business networking, inspiring speakers and practical learning that helps your business grow, we'd love to welcome you to a future Athena meeting

23/09/2026

What a brilliant morning at Cappuccino Connections yesterday with fellow Athena members from groups stretching the length of the M4.

One of the things our members value most about Athena is the opportunity to regularly meet new people, have conversations that stretch our thinking, spark new ideas, and leave feeling inspired and motivated.

It was also great to spend time with fellow Regional Directors Helen Burton-Care, Sophie Watson, Lara Lauder and Cathy Hargreaves, discussing questions that really got us talking.

* Is September the real new year for business?
* Do we take our laptop on holiday?
* What are our top tips for someone starting their Athena journey?
* How do we find the people who really resonate with us?

Sometimes the best part of networking isn't just who you meet – it's the conversations that stay with you long after the meeting ends.

If you're looking for supportive business networking, inspiring speakers and practical learning that helps your business grow, we'd love to welcome you to a future Athena meeting. Come along as a visitor, meet like-minded business owners and experience the Athena community for yourself.

21/09/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at The Athena Network Henley this week for our latest Business Development Training with Zoe Rose, Family Solicitor at Knights.
Zoe delivered a very thought-provoking and engaging session on Unconscious Bias – It’s Affecting Your Business, So How Can You Deal With It?

We explored what unconscious bias is and how those instant judgements we make can influence the way we see people, businesses and even professions.

Zoe got us thinking about something as simple as the words we use to describe what we do. Do they really communicate what we want them to? And what assumptions might others make when they hear our professional titles?

The interactive exercise around the business titles of the women in the room was a real highlight, generating great conversations, challenging our thinking and leaving many of us reconsidering how we introduce ourselves. It was a brilliant reminder that small tweaks to our business titles can create a big difference in how others perceive what we do.

A fantastic session, full of interaction, practical insights and plenty of food for thought. Thank you, Zoe, for getting us all thinking and showing us how small changes can have a lasting impact.

If you're looking for supportive business networking, inspiring speakers and practical learning that helps your business grow, we'd love to welcome you to a future Athena meeting. Come along as a visitor, meet like-minded business owners and experience the Athena community for yourself.

17/09/2026

We’re looking forward to welcoming Colette Bane, who will be leading our Reading South Business Development Training: Graceful Exits: Navigating Relationship Endings with Dignity and Confidence.

Colette will share her top tips and practical advice for navigating relationship endings, as well as some core principles to consider when faced with any big decision or significant change. Whether you’re dealing with the end of a romantic relationship, friendship, family relationship or business relationship, knowing how to handle that difficult crossroads with dignity, grace and confidence can make all the difference.

Colette is a Family Solicitor at Knights, specialising in divorce, separation, finances and children, pre-nuptial agreements, cohabitation and surrogacy. As part of the Knights collective team, she can also connect clients with lawyers across a wide range of other legal specialisms.

Join us on Thursday 24 September for this session.

Visitors are welcome, and we are especially looking for new members from these professions: Conveyancer, Business Coach, Local Charity, Independent Financial Adviser, Marketing Professional and Photographer.

For existing members who would like to Pass+, here is the link https://forms.gle/TUzbG1TPCLnnh5LT8

10/09/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at The Athena Network Reading Central meeting today for our latest Business Development Training with Kayleigh Bishop.

Kayleigh delivered an engaging and insightful session on FEEL. THINK. SUCCEED.

We explored how emotional intelligence influences the way we respond to everyday business situations, from communication and decision-making to pricing and boundaries.

Kayleigh introduced us to the four different emotional states and helped us understand how they can show up in our businesses. One of the most memorable insights was looking at the time-bound nature of emotions – for example, sadness is often rooted in the past, while fear is focused on the future. Recognising this can help us avoid feeling stuck and respond more intentionally.

A fantastic session, full of practical takeaways that will help us become more aware, communicate more effectively and make clearer decisions in business. Members really enjoyed discovering new insights into how emotions influence both ourselves and those around us.

Thank you, Kayleigh, for getting us all thinking about our emotions in business!
If you're looking for supportive business networking, inspiring speakers and practical learning that helps your business grow, we'd love to welcome you to a future Athena meeting. Come along as a visitor, meet like-minded business owners and experience the Athena community for yourself.

08/09/2026

A warm welcome to Zoe Rose a Family Solicitor at Knights, who will be leading our Henley Business Development Training: Unconscious bias - it is affecting your business so how can you deal with it?

In this thought-provoking session, Zoe will explore what unconscious bias is, how it shapes perceptions, and the impact it can have on the way clients, referrers and professional contacts view you and your business.

You'll gain an honest insight into how your profession is perceived and discover how to challenge assumptions and position your business more effectively.

Zoe is a highly experienced family solicitor, known for her straightforward, practical approach and ability to get to the heart of complex issues quickly. She advises on all aspects of divorce, separation, financial matters, children disputes, cohabitation, nuptial agreements and non-court dispute resolution, helping clients find constructive solutions wherever possible.

Join us on Tuesday 15 September for this session.

Visitors are welcome, and we are especially looking for new members from these professions: Family Lawyer, Independent Financial Adviser, Marketing Professional and Photographer.

For existing members who would like to Pass+, here is the link https://forms.gle/TUzbG1TPCLnnh5LT8

Address

Reading And Henley Region
Reading

Telephone

+447834861827

Website

http://www.theathenanetwork.co.uk/debbieatkins, http://www.theathenanetwork.com/debbieatkins

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