New look for WISH as it celebrates its 20th anniversary

WISH has marked its 20^th year with a rebrand giving the organisation a fresh new look and providing the regional branches with a stronger individual identity.

Set up by Nicola Dibb and Debra Constance in 1998 as an informal group where women could meet and network in an inclusive and supportive environment WISH embraced the different way that women communicate, creating safe spaces for making connections, exploration, personal development and learning.

It has grown organically over the past 20 years and now has eight regions, 500 members and up to 3,000 other women and men who support the network and attend events, with networking and building connections remaining at the heart of what it does.

The new branding was unveiled at a glittering drinks reception held at the Manchester Hilton’s Cloud 23 cocktail and champagne bar during the Chartered Institute of Housing’s 2018 conference and exhibition.

The event, which was sponsored by Kier, Hough Bellis Communications, ConnectIn Events, JLL, Pellings and Trowers & Hamlins, was attended by nearly 100 people from across the sector.

Debra opened the event, talking about the origins of WISH before handing over to guest speaker, Helen Evens, chief executive of Network Homes, who recalled her experiences starting out in the sector.

Nicola outlined WISH’s work over the past 20 years and the important role that it plays in supporting women within the sector and how the regions are the ‘life blood’ of delivering services for WISH members across the country and they all get their own unique colour identity as part of the rebrand. Joel Sampson, sales manager at Resource, the company behind the new look, talked guests through the rebrand process. 

WISH has come a long way since those early days and its modern new look reflects the future direction of the organisation which uniquely brings together women from social housing and construction – private and public sectors – and has built a reputation for uniting women across all disciplines.  The new brand positions WISH as The Network…for all women working social in housing and the main new logo represents the supportive nature of The Network – showing four people linking hands with a ‘W’ in the centre.