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Celebrating female resilience was the focus of a special event as part of the recent International Women’s Day.

The day, which had the theme of Accelerate Action, was jointly organised by two local groups which advocate for women, Ladies First Professional Development in Balsall Common and Shakespeare Soroptimists in Stratford-upon-Avon.

It also raised more than £600 through a raffle in aid of Refuge, a charity providing specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.

Hosted by Stratford’s Sally Bee, keynote speakers were Captain Emma Henderson MBE; Nicky Pattinson and Natalie Heeley.

One of fewer than 500 female airline captains worldwide, ‘Captain Emma’ talked about her journey from commanding aircraft at 37,000 feet to founding the acclaimed Project Wingman during the pandemic.

As an award-winning CEO, Aviation Ambassador, and recipient of an MBE for services to charity, she has worked with prestigious organisations including NatWest, RBS, EDF, WTW, the NHS, Boeing and GE Aerospace, delivering transformative insights and actionable strategies. Currently preparing to climb Kilimanjaro, Emma embodies the spirit of continuous challenge and growth that she advocates in her talks.

Global speaker and coach focused on women being visible, Nicky Pattinson has made it and lost it and is currently on the way to making it again. She is a force of nature, with a big past story, and life and work experience that has turned around the fortune of some of the most well-known brands in the UK.

 Natalie Heeley is a mum of three and a top leader in network marketing with Forever Living Products. She has also written two books—one sharing an inspirational personal journey and another focused on mindset and success.

Her message and story is one of resilience and inspiration for working mums all over the globe, drawing on her own experiences to deliver talks at trainings, presentations, events, recognition days and seminars, both at home and internationally.

The event, at Stratford Town Hall, was jointly hosted by Sally Bee, President of Shakespeare Soroptimists and Tracey McAtamney, Director of Ladies First, from Balsall Common.

As a motivational speaker, broadcaster and author, Sally delivers talks around the world on the subjects of mental health and wellbeing, positivity, confidence and the support and empowerment of women and girls in all societies.

Having survived six heart attacks, Sally speaks about the moment she had to say goodbye to her husband and 3 children, closing her eyes and taking her final breath. Her next miracle breath was the first of her new life.

She has since gone on to write six bestselling cookery books, her latest book, ‘Don’t go faster than your guardian angel can fly’ is about women supporting women and has become a global bestseller.

She said: “The event was a true celebration of the power, resilience, and brilliance of women. As President of Shakespeare Soroptimists, I was honoured to join forces with Ladies First Professional Networking Group to create a space that inspired and empowered every woman and girl who attended. Together, we lifted each other up, shared our stories, and proved that when women support women, incredible things happen.”

Tracey McAtamney is the leader of Ladies First Professional Development Network, a national networking group which organises events and awards for inspirational female achievers across the UK. This year’s awards, which were launched in style at The House of Commons last month, are still open for nominations until March 15th.

She was named a Platinum Champion in the Jubilee awards celebrating dedication to volunteering with her Surviving Bereavement foundation which offers legal, financial and emotional support for bereaved families as well as Memory Boxes.

Tracey said: “Ladies First were delighted to work in collaboration with Shakespeare Soroptimists celebrating IWD as we share the same values and ethos, we believe, as a community by supporting each other and working in collaboration we are stronger together. The room was filled with a mixture of businesswomen and students from local schools who were recognised for their achievements. The message was to inspire, inform and introduce. But also, to recognise that domestic abusive is not just physical but can be also emotional and financial! Such an inspiring and empowering day!”

A Q&A panel discussion concluded the formal part of the day, involving event sponsors Siobhan Rowlands and Hester MacLean of Edwards Wealth Management; Julie McGarrigle, Business Director at Alsters Kelley Solicitors; Hannah Watson of Grenfell James Associates in Stratford; Perm Bassi, Founder of Unique Therapies in Warwick; and Bianca Rodrigues-Perry of Bia’s Marketing, Production & PR in Leamington.

Other sponsors include Air Aesthetics & Wellness Clinics, based in Henley-in-Arden, Leamington Spa, Edgbaston and St Albans, Hertfordshire; The Arden Hotel, Stratford; Anita Dinnes, business mentor in Stratford; Katie Wilber, of Cotswold Connected; Amanda Chalmers of Chalmers News PR in Warwick; Nishi Mehta of Embrace Inclusion Limited, Birmingham; and Vicky Farmer, health and nutrition coach at DipN&WM.

Sally Bee added: “Focusing on the need to Accelerate Action emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

“We can call out stereotypes, challenge discrimination, question bias, celebrate women’s success, and so much more. Additionally, sharing our knowledge and encouragement with others is key.”

About the Soroptimists

A network of just under 65,000 club members in 118 countries works at a local, national and international level to Educate, Empower and Enable opportunities for women and girls.

VISION

Women and girls will achieve their individual and collective potential, realise aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide.

MISSION

Soroptimists transform the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities.

PRINCIPLES

The principles of the Soroptimists are to strive for: • The advancement of the status of women • High ethical standards • Human rights for all • Equality, development and peace and • The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace.

More information HERE

About Ladies First

Ladies First is an organisation based on three principles referred to as the 3 I’s – to Inspire, to Inform and to Introduce.

They hold monthly meetings which hear from inspirational speakers, provide informative business skills workshops and make new introductions.

The group welcomes members and drop-in guests and is an inclusive network involving women of all backgrounds and cultures regardless of what stage they are at in their business life or career, the only requirement being that you have aspirations and the desire to help other women!

More information HERE.

Lianne Kirkman delivers her speech.

Women driven by a desire to help women was the focus of a conference in Warwick on Friday (March 7^th), organised by local charitable organisation The Esther Project.

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2025 and with its theme, Accelerate Action, Together, She Rises was a powerful gathering aimed at driving forward change for women facing complex needs, bringing together key stakeholders including women’s services, charities, government representatives and professionals from mental health, domestic abuse, homelessness and criminal justice sectors.

Keynote speakers at King’s High in Warwick, included Lianne Kirkman, founder of The Esther Project alongside event co-organiser Deputy Lieutenant of Warwickshire Clare Sawdon. Other speakers on the day were Hannah Thomas; Michelle Smith; Dr Matt Home, CEO of Willowdene Rehabilitation; Dr Tom McNeill; and Kellie Ziemba. Invited guests included Lord Lieutenant Tim Cox, and current High Sheriff Rajvinder Kaur Gill and Deputy Police Crime Commissioner Emma Daniell.

Hannah Thomas established the charity Cherished in Sutton Coldfield in 2011, dedicated to helping children feel safe, seen, soothed and secure. Connection is at the heart of everything she does, believing in dealing with the root of behaviour.

Michelle Smith is a district judge and a Judicial college tutor and Judicial mentor. She is also a Diversity and Community Relations Judge and lead judge in the ISC pilot for women offenders in Birmingham.

Dr Matt Home is the CEO of Willowdene Rehabilitation in Shropshire which focuses on alternatives to traditional recovery methods, including pioneering the first Residential Alternative to custody for women in the UK and addressing to resolve the intergenerational issues associated with offending and health.

Dr Tom McNeill is the CEO of the Birmingham-based JABBS Foundation, which works nationally to support women and girls at risk of falling into or caught in the criminal justice system due to systemic disadvantage.

He sits on the Ministry of Justice Women’s Justice Board and, previously, as the West Midlands’ Assistant Police & Crime Commissioner, initiated and supported innovative projects including one of the UK’s first women’s problem-solving courts, technology ethics in law enforcement and new models of early intervention for families in crisis.

Kellie Ziemba is the CEO of Kairos Women Working Together, a Coventry-based specialist organisation supporting and advocating for women who face multiple forms of disadvantage and are subject to or at risk of sexual exploitation.

She is also a trustee of EVAW (End Violence Against Women), a group of feminist organisations and experts from across the UK, working to end violence against women and girls in all its forms.

Lianne Kirkman established Leamington-based The Esther Project in 2023. The women-only initiative provides gender-specific support as well as Esther House – a seven-bed supported living accommodation, providing a safe space for women to recover, for up to two years.

It currently offers supported accommodation and a weekly programme of activities to reduce isolation and improve skills. The ambition is to open a hub, a safe space where women can meet, access key support services and develop new skills for employability alongside an alternative to custody, situated in a rural location for women with more complex needs.

The conference also screened a short documentary film of Lianne’s recent Her Fight, Our Night Sleepout challenge which saw her sleep on the streets on ten consecutive nights, raising £20k for The Esther Project as well as vital awareness of women’s services across the UK.

Of the event, she said: “We had an incredible day for IWD2025, coming together to hear inspiring speakers who helped us communicate our message effectively. We shared the vision for The Esther Project and invited other fantastic organisations and individuals to collaborate in “accelerating action” for necessary changes in Warwickshire.

“Our vision for The Esther Project is to ensure that services for women are gender-specific and trauma-informed and our hope is, we can create a multi-agency women-only space and a residential alternative to custody site for women in Warwickshire.

“Thank you to our incredibly inspiring speakers, who highlighted the complex challenges women face and how we can improve our collective efforts to provide appropriate support and solutions, ultimately diverting women from the criminal justice system.

“The day was inspired by Women’s International Day and hopefully we will now all be able to collaboratively together to create the right solutions for Women in Warwickshire.”

Clare Sawdon, who opened proceedings, is a Deputy Lieutenant of Warwickshire, chairing the Kings Award for Voluntary Service across the county. She was High Sheriff between 2018-19 and focused on the serious problems of domestic abuse across Warwickshire, raising awareness and supporting victims. She is the Chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Magistrates, having been a JP for many years, specialising in Family court work, supporting families in difficult times.

She said: “The Esther Project is an exciting opportunity to support women who are suffering trauma due to lived experiences, sometimes they have been brought into contact with perpetrators of domestic abuse which may lead to criminal behaviour, through no fault of their own. They need to have a fresh chance in life with professional help. I believe Lianne and her team can give these women a fresh start in life. This is why I believe this conference is so important in spreading the word and providing hope for the future.’

A panel discussion also heard from Kaylee Linton, from Refuge Safe Accommodation for domestic support survivors;  Joy Doal, CEO of Anawim – Birmingham’s Centre for Women; Dr Beverley Gilbert, Founder of Chort 4, a women’s peer-led support and peer mentoring organisation based in North Warwickshire; and Sarah Marsden, Interventions Manager at GreenSquareAccord, which provides affordable homes and support services in communities which need them most.

Anyone who would still like to sponsor Lianne Kirkman’s Big Sleepout, in aid of The Esther Project, can visit HERE.