On Saturday the 3rd of March, Bristol celebrated International Women’s day a little early with an array of stalls, speakers, workshops and classes. Despite the weather induced panic taking over the city, a whole host of men and women from Bristol and the surrounding area made the snowy trek to City Hall on College Green to join in the celebrations. As a volunteer at the event, I was lucky enough to see the eclectic mix of activities which were taking place and to witness first hand the positive impact that they were making on the community.
The event was organised, planned and meticulously run by Bristol Women’s Voice. BWV aim to make equality in Bristol a reality by ensuring that women have a say in all the big decisions that get made in the city and by bringing us together ”to share ideas and experiences, support campaigns and celebrate success so that together we can make Bristol a showcase for women’s involvement, empowerment and equality.” The charity has identified six major priorities in order to bring about the equality of men and women in local Bristol life which include, power, health/social care, safety, education, housing and economy.
The day was free and so attracted all members of the community. From interactive drama sessions to Charleston dancing and law clinics on maternity rights to film screenings, there really was something for everyone and the guests included men and women of all ages. There was even a creche for children to play in while their parents attended! The Workshops boasted an array of topics such as alcohol abuse support, healthy relationship advice, mental health awareness and women in business speed mentoring. The main foyer of the building was heaving and filled to the brim with a variety of stalls selling books, posters, badges, cards and paintings. Especially popular events were the ‘Wonderful Women Awards’ which finished with a performance by our universities own all-women Acappella group and the launch of ‘The Women who Built Bristol’ by Jane Duffus which contains stories of the inspiring women who helped to shape Bristol into the vibrant city that it is today.
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