Career conversations and cake were on the menu on 15 April 2026 when Victory Services Club welcomed local girls for a careers-themed afternoon tea. 11 women from wide-ranging industries such as event planning, marketing, human resources, and banqueting, each volunteered to give the girls a taste of their daily working life during the event.

Girls meet local employees at the careers event.

The girls, aged between 11 and 16, are part of an after-school club at the youth and community hub, Feathers Marylebone. Located in the heart of Church Street ward, the club provides opportunities for disadvantaged young people to come together to socialise, build their confidence and learn new skills. The activity helped sparked curiosity and ambition among the children as they explored the possibilities of a range of career pathways.

The session started with an icebreaker activity to help everyone get to know each other before everyone divided into small groups. The girls then learnt more about the Victory Services Club, a veterans’ charity and military members club, where 51% of the workforce is made up of women.

The girls had the opportunity to take part in speed networking, spending time in pairs with different staff members to hear all about what their jobs involve, the key skills needed to perform well, as well as a typical ‘day in the life’. The conversations also included key highlights in the job, the types of challenges faced and the importance of teamwork, adaptability, positive attitude and clear communication in dealing with challenges effectively.

Speed networking!

The session included a complementary afternoon tea for participants to delve deeper into the girls’ own career aspirations together with an informal Q&A. Thank you to the team from Victory Services Club for their time to talk about their career journeys and for providing afternoon tea.

The activity was arranged as part of our Community Programme which supports Marble Arch BID members to engage in the community. From environmental projects to skill-sharing to coffee mornings, there is something to suit every community engagement plan that creates memorable moments and sustainable impact.

The girls had the opportunity to hear about what the volunteers' jobs involve.

The enthusiastic employee volunteers from Victory Services Club.