This year, Bradley Stoke Town Council held a series of very well attended events to support International Women’s Day in March. The theme for 2025 was how collectively we can accelerate action for gender equality.
Councillor Natalie Field, Mayor of Bradley Stoke, who was heavily involved in helping to organise the programme of events, said: “I was delighted that so many people got involved with the week of varied activities to celebrate International Women’s Day.
“It’s great to see such support and for people to recognise women’s achievements and be part of a movement for change. We put on a variety of activities so that there was something that would appeal to everyone.”
The week of activities started with the Frenchay Village Walk & Talk (with the option of a visit to Frenchay Museum) which was a huge success, also helped by the amazing weather. Although not in Bradley Stoke, many people from the town attended to learn more about some of the local women in the past who did so many inspiring things and championed women’s involvement in society.
The walk was followed by a fantastic talk by Jane Duffus who shared colourful insights from the third volume of her book in the series on ‘The Women Who Built Bristol’, profiling overlooked women from our area’s history.
Lots of young women and girls took part in the skateboard and art event at the Campus Skatepark.
Natalie Field said: “Some amazing art pieces were produced including painting of skateboards. It was great to see so many young women and girls taking part in the informal skate jam and enjoying the coaching sessions.”
It was wonderful to have so many players of the Bradley Stoke Youth Football Team and residents attend the Brightwell Centre to watch the screening of ‘Copa 71’. The film is about the first Women’s World Cup that took place in Mexico in 1971 and this has very much been hidden in history until very recently.
The talks by Doro, the Chief Executive of the Brightwell Centre, and Natalie, Bradley Stoke’s Mayor, looked at women in leadership and women in sport respectively. It’s a truly inspiring film and if you haven’t seen it, it is still available on BBC iPlayer until 11 June.
Councillor Jenny James gave a talk about the red dress in popular culture to Little Stoke and District Ladies Club was well received and enjoyed by many. The talk explored the symbolism of the Red Dress in fashion, activism and popular culture.
The Red Dress Project is a global embroidery collaboration where women from 51 different countries share their stories through stitch. We have developed a local version where many different community groups have made contributions that have been sown onto the local dress.
The local dress is now well endowed with embroidery contributions, but if you would like to add a patch, we would welcome your contribution and there is still space on the dress.
Later in the week, Councillor Jenny James gave a thought-provoking talk exploring the role of women in faith and spirituality at the Filton Mother’s Union at St Peter’s Church. It was great that the Union enjoyed hosting and making an embroidery patch for the Red Dress which was also on display at the event and for a few days afterwards.