Women's Upland Network Founder
Roz Parkinson
Marketing, Kirkstyle Inn
Background and Career to date
I grew up in Berkshire, travelled overseas a little in my 20s, and on my return fell into the IT/Tech industry, working in the Microsoft and Cisco environment in Sales, Business Development and Marketing roles. In 2007 I took on the marketing of my husband’s pub/restaurant and ventured into the hospitality industry. I have always loved the outdoors, dogs and horses, walking and running – to compensate for the sedentary office job I took up gym classes to keep me sane. I qualified to teach Pilates 20 years ago and have been teaching ever since. I have two adult step children and two grandchildren. My husband and I took on the management of The Kirkstyle Inn pub/restaurant and The Old Rectory holiday home in the village of Slaggyford, Northumberland in 2021 and moved up in October 2022, since then we have split our time between the north and south.
Please describe why the uplands are important to you?
Moving to Nortumberland has been an enormous learning curve. I am fascinated by my second home - the environment, lifestyles and communities. I love the hills, the space and serene rugged beauty of the uplands and the diverse communities that reside here. I have learnt so much about an array of topics……upland farming communities, upland wildlife, the benefits of eating wild meat and the role shooting plays, conservation and the conflicts, environmental issues – the list goes on and I still have so much to learn. I am passionate about educating the south about the uplands and how important the uplands are to the future of this country and the lives of younger generations and those still to come.
What inspired you to become a founder of the Women’s Upland Network (WUN)?
I think women notoriously under value the crucial role they play and contribution they make. There are some amazing women in the uplands running their own businesses, some of whom have multiple jobs alongside running the home. I believe women are stronger together and that a network that offers support and services and an open forum that encourages knowledge sharing and creativity is a wonderful idea. I believe giving more women the confidence and tools to play lead roles in business and politics in collaboration with our male peers, will make the world a better place and help secure a happier future for us all.
What does the success of the WUN looks like for you?
A strong community to support and inform woman in the uplands. A knowledge hub where women feel comfortable to share ideas. Tool kits, mentoring and services to help women achieve their goals.
To avoid being labelled as a group of feminists or extremists who are anti men!
For the WUN to be well respected and recognised as a collaborative group with clear ambitions.
The icing on the cake for me would be for the WUN to be able to demonstrate how it has increased awareness in the south of the importance of the uplands, the uplands contribution to industry and the economy, rural communities’ values and how important the uplands are to both climate and environmental issues for current and future generations.
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