Baroness Sayeeda Warsi who is Party Chairman and Minister without Portfolio visited Reading last week. She was welcomed by Berkshire Area Chairman David Sleight as the guest of honour at a fundraising dinner at the Shehnai Suites on London Street for Conservatives from across Berkshire.
Sayeeda spoke at a women's meeting in Woodley the following morning organised by Bulmershe and Whitegates Conservative Cllr Shahid Younis. She addressed a female audience of wide ranging ages and backgrounds who were eager to hear why and how she had entered politics, how she juggles her family life and her career as she and her husband have five children.
Sayeeda’s strong message emphasised the need to empower women to become local champions and encourage them to stand for election to represent their communities. Sayeeda challenged everybody 'to help yourself - if you won't, why should anyone else? Help someone else - because no one else will; work out your action plan, where you want to get to in life... and go for it'.
Women asked many questions and appreciated the opportunity to meet Britain’s first Muslim Cabinet member.