Building a More Inclusive Future: Speaking at Women in Property Midlands.

A Moment of Pride and Purpose

Yesterday, I had the honour of speaking at the Women in Property Midlands event, hosted at Shakespeare Martineau in Birmingham.

It was an incredible experience — not just as a professional, but as a parent and advocate. To stand in front of such a passionate and forward-thinking audience and talk about our journey with MyPenelope and our amazing daughter, was something I’ll never forget.

We spoke about the realities of parenting a child with additional needs, the daily challenges we face as a family, and how those experiences inspired us to create the MyPenelope app — a platform built from necessity, compassion, and hope.

Speaking From the Heart

The moment I began sharing our story — the sleepless nights, the uncertainty, and the resilience our family found through understanding Penny’s needs — the room fell silent.

It reminded me why we started this journey in the first place. MyPenelope began as a way to help our family make sense of complex information: sleep patterns, seizures, meltdowns, and emotions that often felt impossible to track. But it has grown into so much more — a tool for families, carers, and professionals to truly understand the child behind the data.

Seeing people connect with that message reminded me that this project has the potential to change far more than just our family’s life.

Inclusivity by Design, Not by Addition

It was eye-opening listening to Kevin Parker, Group Lead of Master Planning at Barratt Redrow, and Maria Vierma of Marrons, speak about how inclusivity is becoming a foundation of urban design rather than an afterthought.

Hearing professionals within planning and development speak with such empathy and intention was inspiring. They’re shaping communities that welcome everyone, from children with sensory needs to adults with mobility challenges.

That’s what true inclusivity looks like — it’s not about designing for difference, but designing with it in mind from the very beginning.

How MyPenelope Can Support Inclusive Design

This is where technology meets real-world change.

MyPenelope has the potential to offer developers, planners, and local authorities something powerful — authentic, anonymised lived data from families across the UK who are navigating life with additional needs.

This data can provide insight into:

• When and where accessibility challenges occur most frequently

• What environments lead to sensory overstimulation or meltdowns

• How fatigue and mobility impact engagement with public spaces

• How inclusive facilities affect children’s confidence and participation

Imagine designing parks, playgrounds, and communities based on real lived experience — where data informs empathy, and empathy informs design.

MyPenelope could one day help planners and developers create spaces that reflect the real needs of real families — not just assumptions.

Renewed Passion and Vision

After yesterday’s event, I feel more passionate than ever about the future of MyPenelope.Hearing from others who care deeply about creating inclusive spaces reaffirmed that we’re building something truly special — something that bridges families, healthcare, and society in a meaningful way.

Our app began as a small family project born from love and necessity.Now, it’s growing into a movement for change — one that champions inclusivity, understanding, and equal opportunity for all children.

Because inclusion shouldn’t be an optional feature — it should be built into the foundation of everything we create.