Sisters launch female mentorship programme in memory of their late father, Patsy Duffy

Four sisters from Magherafelt have teamed up to launch a female mentorship programme in memory of their late father, Patsy Duffy, who passed away 10 years ago today (March 7 2012) from early onset dementia aged 57.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day which takes place tomorrow, females across Northern Ireland are being invited to apply for The Patsy Duffy Mentorship Programme.

Over the next 12 months, mentees will have the opportunity to receive expert advice and guidance in a range of specialist areas including business strategy, finance, building a personal brand, confidence, communication, finance, organisation and leadership.

The programme has been formed by the four entrepreneurial sisters who have a combined 75 years’ experience in their respective fields which includes property, marketing, teaching, communications and management consultancy.

Tanya McGeehan from MCG Investments is one of Northern Ireland’s leading female property entrepreneurs, Aisling Bremner of Aisling Bremner Marketing has worked in senior marketing roles for a host of local and global brands including Dale Farm, Magners and Heinz, Lisa Duffy is a trained actor, qualified teacher, communications coach and founder of local children’s drama company, Bright Young Things and Roisin Deery has extensive experience in management consultancy most recently working at a senior level within the operations division of the Expo 2020 Dubai.

During the programme, which is free to apply, the mentees will receive one hour of one-two-one mentorship per week for 16 weeks.

There will be two intakes with four mentees in each programme.

Highlighting their drive to help others like their parents did for them, Tanya said: “Daddy always raised us to believe our aspirations were valid and worth striving for.

“Our parents were always a positive force in our lives with the vision to see that ambition and risk were something to be championed.

“Not everyone has someone with this mindset supporting them, which is why we are launching The Patsy Duffy Mentorship Programme in our late father’s memory.

“My sisters and I want to use our years of business experience to offer advice and guidance to women who have aspirations in their professional life but who have barriers to opportunity.

“We want to help make a difference and be the champions and challengers in their corners like our dad was for us.”

Patsy Duffy was a successful banker by profession, however, at the age of 35 with a young family, he retired from his solid steady career to pursue self employment and follow his entrepreneurial instincts. His property investment business, started in the early 90s and flourished over the next 20 years.

Raising the issue of the Covid-19 pandemic and how it has ‘disproportionately affected women’ Aisling added: “The programme is open to all females who have a professional aspiration but have a barrier stopping them from realising it – this could be social responsibilities, health and wellbeing, confidence or economic.

“For example, ambitious employees that are stuck in a rut, entrepreneurs at the start of their journeys and lacking confidence, graduates who need guidance or stay at home mums who need the encouragement to return to work.

“What’s more, it has been well documented that Covid-19 has disproportionately affected women and we therefore hope that the Patsy Duffy Mentorship Programme will play a role in helping women reach their full potential and become the best that they can!”

For further information or to apply before Sunday, March 27, go to www.patsyduffymentorship.com

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