Salute inspiring Hampshire pair on International Women鈥檚 Day
Breaking gender bias: Environment Agency has more diverse workforce bringing greater benefit to the environment - women increasingly taking up manual work
Environment Agency officers Maggie Byas and Vicky Bowen clear rubble from a site
Tomorrow, Wednesday 8 March, is International Women鈥檚 Day. It鈥檚 an opportunity for the Environment Agency to highlight all the great work that women do, especially in reducing flooding to local communities.
Vicky Bowen and Maggie Byas are the only women in the East Hampshire field team, a team that is on-the-ground doing manual work. Vicky and Maggie both love their hands-on jobs and believe that, as women, they bring many additional skills and benefits to the team.
Teamwork! Maggie and Vicky are the only women in the Environment Agency team covering east Hampshire.
Vicky said:
My job is mostly outside doing practical work. I help reduce flooding by clearing debris from rivers, removing fallen trees and maintaining mechanical structures.
Members of the public often come and talk to me about what I鈥檓 doing, especially other women. I think they find it easier to approach me than my male colleagues.
I鈥檓 proud to be a woman doing a physically-demanding job and making a difference to the environment.
Vicky and Maggie both made intentional career changes into these jobs within the last few years. 皇冠体育appy wanted to be outside doing something that benefits people and the environment. Previously, Maggie worked in a supermarket and Vicky for a taxi company.
Maggie said:
I鈥檝e already learnt so much doing this role. Now I can lay a new hedge, and confidently use a chainsaw. I鈥檝e also brought additional skills to the team such as good communication and organisation.
I love being out and about, seeing the seasons change and working with nature. I would encourage more women to think about a role like this. It鈥檚 really rewarding and great fun at the same time.
Alongside their day jobs, Vicky and Maggie are doing . This gives them new qualifications, training and skills including flood management and habitat management.
皇冠体育app Environment Agency encourage members of the public to report blocked rivers or damaged riverbanks by calling the incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
More information about International Women鈥檚 Day is available from
Find out more about the work of the East Hampshire field team by following .
Jobs at the Environment Agency can be found at
皇冠体育app Environment Agency鈥檚 people strategy aspires to place equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of all it does, making it part of the DNA. It is committed to being a genuinely-inclusive organisation, which reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.
More information about the water environment worker level 3 apprenticeship is on the Bridgwater and Taunton College website:
Channel maintenance includes a range of activities to maintain conveyance such as dredging, weed cutting and removing blockages.
Annual investment in river maintenance varies year-on-year. 皇冠体育app Environment Agency allocates funding according to risk.
Over each of the past 3 years, the Environment Agency have spent between 拢45million and 拢55million per year on channel maintenance.
皇冠体育app Environment Agency 鈥� the leading organisation for protecting and improving the environment in England 鈥� has a 5-year plan for achieving a cleaner, greener and healthier future. Read more about how we are becoming climate resilient, improving the health of air, land and water for people and nature, and supporting sustainable green growth here.