Women from across the UK wet leisure industry came together on 29 September for a dedicated Women in Industry (WIN) Meet-Up and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Training session, hosted by SPATA and BISHTA.
The event brought together female professionals from SPATA and BISHTA member companies to network, share experiences, develop professional skills, and help shape the future direction of WIN.
A key feature of the day was an interactive EDI training session delivered by Refeia Zaman, The Holistic Coach, exploring how inclusive workplaces can strengthen businesses, improve employee wellbeing, and support talent attraction and retention across the sector.
The training was funded through the Wet Leisure Industry EDI Fund, with a recent contribution secured by Amanda Thompson-Smith, SPATA Chair and Business Development Manager, Projects at AstralPool UK. SPATA and BISHTA extend their thanks to AstralPool UK, and Certikinfor their £1,000 contribution each to the Wet Leisure Industry EDI Fund, as well as all previous fund contributors. Certikin also kindly hosted the event.
The event also featured a forward-looking workshop focused on shaping WIN’s vision for 2027. Members worked together to identify the group’s key priorities, generating ideas around leadership development, mentoring, networking opportunities, industry visibility and encouraging more women to pursue careers within the sector. The insights gathered will inform WIN’s future strategy and support its continued growth and impact.
“The WIN Meet-Up was a fantastic opportunity for women from across our member companies to connect, share ideas and help shape the future direction of the group. We’re particularly grateful to Amanda Thompson-Smith for securing additional funding for the Wet Leisure Industry EDI Fund, and to AstralPool UK and Certikin for their support. Their commitment has enabled us to continue investing in initiatives that help create a more inclusive and welcoming industry.”
Sallie Leslie-Golding, PR & Marketing Manager for SPATA and BISHTA
The event demonstrated SPATA and BISHTA’s ongoing commitment to supporting members, championing diversity and inclusion, and creating a more representative wet leisure sector. Reflecting a commitment to leading by example, further EDI training sessions have already been scheduled for February 2027, with the ISPE Board, BSPF Board, and SPATA and BISHTA committee members set to attend, reinforcing the importance of top-down leadership in driving positive cultural change across the industry.
