In this article we bring to you an exclusive interview with Porsche Belles, who are members of the Porsche Club GB. They decided to create their own club dedicated to the Ladies of PCGB. Porsche Belles started with Carrie and Michelle being invited to Salon Privé separately by Lockton Performance and subsequently meeting.
In this interview they talk about what made them start Porsche Belles and where they see it going in the coming years. They want to use Porsche Belles as an opportunity to attract more women to join PCGB and get a chance to be involved.
1. What sparked the inspiration to create Porsche Belles? Was there a specific moment or experience that led you to build this community?
As a new female member in 2018 of PCGB, I experienced what is probably a quite common misconception about car clubs.
I have to say the welcome and events are exceptional, and I appreciate the inclusivity that PCGB has, making the sense of community fundamental. After being a member for a few years, and contributing to my region, I set an aim to do more to encourage women to be more involved with PCGB.
Our common interest is Porsche, which brings us together, but we need more options specifically for women. Some enjoy tracking their cars, some savor the drive, and others simply appreciate the ride. There are those, like me, who would gladly stand around our cars with a coffee and chat about them, but there are some who prefer to just take in the scenery on a drive.
We all thrive on the camaraderie and energy of women together. While we cannot cater to everyone, it's crucial to shift the focus and encourage more women to join PCGB by networking and making new memories.
While talking to fellow women in the club, I noticed there was a missed opportunity. Fortune followed when I was invited to Salon Privé by Lockton, where I met Michelle. We discussed the idea, and together we hatched a plan to get this initiative off the ground. We have been great friends ever since.
At Rennesport, Reunion 7 in September, I was wandering through the displays and came across some women presenting a gorgeous 550 Spyder in French Blue. The story they shared was about Ruth Levy, who, in the 1950s, learned to drive on ice and later went on to be a part of a group of women that raced all over the US.
It was so inspiring to see, that despite the difficulties faced by women in those years, they received recognition. They were talented and successful, and I found it so inspirational.
Later that year, at the International Presidents Meeting in Portimão, I had the opportunity to discuss the idea with Paul Gregor and Eileen Bullinger of Porsche AG, and the plan evolved further.
I had the chance to network with directors from the international Porsche community and ladies' groups from Lithuania, France, and Switzerland. They are all developing their groups, and we have been in touch since, hoping to plan a remote international meet, which is very exciting.
Porsche have been incredibly supportive and encouraging. Alongside Cristina Pedreira and the team at Porsche GB, we have a fantastic opportunity to boost the initiative, for which we were very grateful.
2. At its core, what vision do you have for Porsche Belles?
The fundamental aim is to provide more opportunities for women who are currently part of the club and to attract more women to join. We are approaching this on a local, national and global level. Currently, we are in discussions with the Porsche Ladies Clubs of Lithuania and France. This will give us a chance in the future to road host trips and exchanges with the ladies of Porsche Belles.
3. Recognising the historically male-dominated space of performance car clubs, what motivated you to create a specifically female-led group? Do you believe Porsche Belles fills a unique need within the car enthusiast community?
Times have changed and more women want to be involved, we just lacked the focus on it. Now, with some imagination and support, our initiative is growing fast. A major milestone has been reaching over 21,000 accounts on our Instagram accounts. We're currently working on launching a calendar of events that Porsche Belles will be involved in. Once this is launched, we hope we will be able to reach broader audiences.
As a club, PCGB have almost 23,000 members, and that is our first target to reach out to. I believe there are women in our community who are not as involved as they could be, perhaps because we are not doing enough to pique their interest, and that's what needs to change.
In some countries, the Porsche sales to women account for 50%, yet they do not all engage with Porsche Clubs. While we don't know the precise UK statistics, we are aware that there are more women we could and should encourage and cater for.
Porsche is all about community and we can enhance that. We have women racers, hill climbers, leaders of drives and road trips, and organisers of events of all types joining Porsche Belles. But we need to get that message out to dispel the perception of us not catering for women and to install the confidence to join in.
4. Navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry, how does Porsche Belles carve out its own space while still engaging with the broader car community? Does the club collaborate with other car groups or organisations?
What is interesting is that many of our ladies are already actively participating in the activities that we are promoting, but we simply do not publicise it enough. However, there is undoubtedly a sector that is not adequately catered to, and we need to be creative in finding ways to leverage our connections. Whether it's a track day or a spa day, it doesn't matter!
We are delighted that we have been invited by Porsche By the Lakes, a hugely successful event for all the family, to have an area for a meet up and picnic. We will be right by the stage in June this year!
We are thrilled to have the support and backing from Porsche GB and Porsche AG, as well as Lockton. We are always grateful for any help, and it is heartwarming to experience the very positive response from many organisations and individuals.
5. To foster connection and shared experiences, how frequently do Porsche Belles members typically gather? Do you hold events or social gatherings?
We launched on 16th January 2024, and already have a great calendar taking shape, which is really varied. The Belles committee, consisting of eight women from various backgrounds and experiences, is actively involved in planning. This is also supported regionally, and many local events are popping up all over the UK! There is at least one meet kind every month.
There are loads to talk about, but as a taster: We have a really fun event planned at Cornbury House coming up this March 23rd with a great speaker who advises airlines on personal safety! Fasten your seatbelts ladies! This will be full of laughter but great advice too.
On May 31st, we're hosting a national event at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone which will be a driving and network event for women. Registration for all this will launch shortly.
As I mentioned earlier, we have been invited to Porsches By The Lake taking place on June 22nd and we will be joining them near the stage in the hub of activity to hold a picnic and get together. We are really excited about this opportunity and hope to have a few Belles' cars on display too.
At the regional level, we regularly host presentations and get-togethers, including this month's session which included a style consultant to assist in organising packing for road trips. Some areas are also organising a 'cars and coffee' with OPCs. What's particularly exciting is receiving ideas from Belles about the events they wish to be involved in. This feedback allows us to curate activities that truly cater to the interests of the ladies in Porsche Belles
6. For women interested in joining the vibrant Porsche Belles community, what avenues are available for them to get involved and learn more
That's easy! If you are a current PCGB member, you are already a Belle! No registration or cost involved; it is automatic. The Belles can get as involved as much as they wish to. Our network is growing rapidly and the word is spreading. It is amazing - Women definitely are excellent networkers!
Our website page will be live shortly where you will find all the details. The Instagram page is our current main hub which has great insights and photos of what being a 'Porsche Belle' can look like. We welcome updates and photos from our Belles too which helps show others the events happening all over the PCGB community and for Belles to show other women what we can achieve.
Our social media will have all the upcoming event information making sure that all Belles can have the opportunity to join in with what entices them.
Conversely, if not a PCGB member, please join the club as it is only £75 for the year. A great value for the magazine alone! In fact, if you have someone who is already a member and wants to upgrade to a joint membership for a Belle to be involved, it is only an additional £5 for the year! For that you get to meet like-minded and fabulous friends, get discounts, invites and opportunities to all sorts of events, plus are part of a wonderful network of women.
To contact the Porsche Belles team for any enquiries, please email belles@porscheclubgb.com or visit our website PCGB Club website.
Instagram: porsche_belles
Facebook: Porsche Belles
