Berkeley and She Builds UK have partnered to host an exhibition at Poplar Riverside that shines a light on women working in the construction industry.
The photography exhibition, which includes portraits of women in a diverse range of job roles, has now opened and will run throughout October at this major east London regeneration project.
The exhibition is free of charge and located at commercial unit 9A, Poplar Riverside on Leven Road.
It opens Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm and Saturdays 10am – 2pm until 30th October. There are some dates when the exhibition is closed for private school workshops, please visit www.berkeleygroup.co.uk/developments/london/poplar/poplar-riverside/she-builds-uk for more information.
Images by Huw Evans (huwevansphotography.co.uk)
Neil Perry, founder of She Builds UK, was first inspired to launch the campaign when his seven-year-old daughter explained that she thought only men could work in construction.
Keen to break down this stereotype, Neil sought to highlight more of the women working in the industry by exhibiting simple portraits alongside a profile about their careers.
The exhibition has quickly gained support from the industry and has already been displayed at the headquarters of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and The Building Centre.
Arti Gurjar, a Senior Technical Co-ordinator at Berkeley, features in the exhibition. Discussing her route into the industry, she explains:
“My interest in the construction industry comes from my father. He once owned a small construction business and I remember the days going onto site with him and being excited by all the tools, materials and structures. Despite there being many reforms and platforms for more women to join the construction industry, it is still very male-dominated. That said, it really is an exciting industry to invest yourself in. It’s vast and has so much to offer and so many opportunities to grow and develop.”
Images by Huw Evans (huwevansphotography.co.uk)
To encourage more young people to see the exhibition, Berkeley is inviting a number of local schools throughout the month to the development, enabling them to discover more about the construction process and to learn about the diverse career opportunities available.
James Goldie, Operations Director at Berkeley, added:
“We are delighted to host the She Builds UK photography exhibition at Poplar Riverside, to shine a spotlight on women working in the construction industry. We’re particularly proud that our own colleague, Arti Gurjar, is featured in the exhibition and has shared her story. By engaging with local schools throughout the month, hopefully we can inspire more young women in to construction, by showcasing the wide variety of roles and career paths and the opportunities the industry can offer them.”
Image by Huw Evans (huwevansphotography.co.uk)