09/03/2026
This weekend I was privileged to act as MC for the International Women’s Day event for Shropshire Women, and it turned out to be a truly inspiring day, filled with conversation, laughter, and the chance to meet an extraordinary range of women doing interesting and meaningful things.
One of the unexpected joys of the role was the opportunity to speak with so many of the women who had come to showcase their businesses. In between announcing workshops and helping keep the day flowing, I found myself moving from table to table, having conversation after conversation with women who were building something thoughtful, creative, and often deeply personal.
By the end of the day my voice was hoarse, my throat was sore, and my face hurt from laughing and smiling quite so much, which felt like a very good sign that the day had been well spent.
What struck me most was the sheer diversity of businesses represented; there were many creative and craft-based enterprises, but also so many other expressions of entrepreneurship such as coaching and expert advisory services, each table revealing a slightly different story about what had brought that woman to the point of creating something for herself.
Behind every business was a life story. Women from many different walks of life had gathered in that space; some had stepped away from corporate careers to build something more aligned with their values, while others were rediscovering a sense of identity after years spent balancing work, family life, and the demands of raising young children.
I also had the opportunity to meet women who are publicly visible in a different way, including Helen Morgan MP for North Shropshire, women who stand up for their values and represent their communities with courage and conviction.
As part of my role during the day, I interviewed several of the women leading these businesses and asked them a simple question about what International Women’s Day means to them; as the conversations unfolded, certain themes appeared again and again.
Independence, solidarity, connection, capability, and above all a strong sense of women supporting women.
There was also a very real sense of gratitude for the generations of women who came before us, whose determination and persistence created many of the opportunities we are able to enjoy today.
Although my role was technically to host the day, make announcements, and keep everything running smoothly, I increasingly found myself approaching the experience as a listening exercise, quietly taking in the stories of thoughtful, creative, and determined women from across North Shropshire; hearing so many perspectives in one place was genuinely uplifting.
I feel very honoured to have been part of the day, and deeply grateful to and all the organisers who worked so hard to make it happen.
And because I spent most of the day moving around the room talking to people and having these wonderful conversations, I appear to have taken exactly zero photographs of myself speaking; however, I do have a few from the wider event, which I will share below.
