News By KCOM | 11 March 2026 - 3 min read

KCOM welcomes inspirational women for global “give to gain” event

We're celebrating International Women's Day

Be bold, be confident and believe in yourself were the messages coming loud and clear out of KCOM today – as it hosted its third International Women’s Day event.

More than 50 young women from 11 local schools and colleges attended the event at KCOM’s Hull HQ to hear inspirational women leaders and entrepreneurs.

Event organiser Kylie Hill, KCOM’s Employee Experience Partner, said: “It’s an absolute privilege to welcome some amazing women to KCOM today to help inspire the generation of leaders and achievers.

“As a business that’s determined to create local opportunities for women in the telecoms and tech sector, it’s great to hear the stories of women who’ve already made their mark and I know the young women attending will take a huge amount of positivity and encouragement away from today’s experience.”

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Give To Gain” encouraging women worldwide to embrace “generosity and collaboration” and to recognise “the power of reciprocity and support”.

Speakers on the day were Emma Dallimore, Chief Executive of Hull & East Yorkshire Mind; Megan O’Brien, founder of Athena Social media agency; Daniella Thorpe, Head of Digital Services at Humber Fire & Rescue Service; and Deb Oxley OBE, who’s impressive CV includes leadership roles spanning four decades and different organisations and sectors – but started out at KCOM in 1985, as an admin assistant, when it was still called the Hull Telephone Department.

Deb said: “It’s really important that women hear other women’s stories and to know what’s possible. There’s the saying that ‘if you can’t see it, you can’t be it’ and it’s great that events like this enable young women to hear and see what others have achieved.

“KCOM is a local institution and generations of people have grown up with it in this region – and it’s entirely appropriate that it hold events like this that inspire local women to fulfil their potential.”

The schools and colleges attending the event included East Riding, Wilberforce, Longcroft Sixth Form, Ron Dearing UTC, Hull College, Bishop Burton, St Mary’s, South Hunsley, Hymers, Beverley High School and Driffield Sixth Form.

Attendee Evie Goldstone, 17 who is currently in the final year of her Psychology, Maths and Geography A Levels, at Hymers College, said: “I’ve really enjoyed it and I’m finding the talks really inspirational.

“I’m quite self-critical and it’s easy to focus on the negatives all the time so it’s great to listen to women who have achieved so much and to realise that you don’t always have to have all the answers – you just have to be authentic and have some self-belief.”

St Mary’s Year 12 student Akvile Babarstaite, said she was enjoying hearing about the different experiences of the speakers.

“I like the fact that they all have very different stories but that they all have common themes like believing in yourself and not just accepting it when you’re told you can’t do something.”

Chloe Ross -Williams, 19, who is studying a BTEC in Business at East Riding College, added: “Just hearing other people’s stories of how they got to where they are is quite inspirational, it makes you believe you can go on and follow your dreams.”