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To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March 2025, members of the Community Foundation team were out and about, taking the opportunity to meet with and speak to some of the amazing organisations that support and empower women in our region.
Su Legg and Beverley Timlin visited an event at Fallowlees Farm in Northumberland, a 10-acre small holding leased by West End Women and Girls Centre. The farm allows women from Elswick the chance to grow crops, raise animals and experience nature.
Beverley, who joined the Community Foundation as Funding Coordinator six months ago, shared her feelings about the day:
“This year was my first international women’s day at the Foundation, and I genuinely found it very inspiring to be able to hear about and from so many women-led and women focussed organisations doing work in the North East.
“Whilst it’s a day for reflection, and what work there still is to do, it was incredible to hear about all of the amazing work that is happening to support women and girls across the region.”
The P&G Fund at the Community Foundation has awarded the West End Women and Girls a 3-year grant of £10,000 per annum to fund its barn conversion work at Fallowlees Farm. This grant helped to leverage a further grant of £100,000 from Dame Margaret Barbour.
Dame Margaret had the vision to set-up the Women’s Fund at the Community Foundation which has given out over £600,000 to local women’s charities and voluntary organisations over the last 25-years.
Colette Harrison and Jo Cundall hosted a Time to Talk with Represent Women at Pitman Training in Newcastle. The event was for organisations that are led by and for women and girls or have women-only provisions and welcomed over 20 participants. The event tapped into the Community Foundation’s recent Vital Signs reports and focused on the pertinent data for women and girls.
Colette also attended a Chamber of Commerce networking event in Gosforth to hear from inspiring women about their journeys in leadership and further networking at Pitman Training in support of Smartworks, finishing the week at Wylam Brewery for the final Smartworks event of the week. Guest speaker Sara Davies inspired the audience with stories of being a young woman in business and champion for the North East. The event ended with an auction of her iconic outfits including ‘the’ blazer from the recent series of Dragons’ Den.
Lisa Cappleman and Jo Cundall were at ‘Celebrating Inspirational Women’ at Newcastle Civic Centre where they heard from some brilliant women speakers including Sophie Milliken, chair of Smartworks Newcastle and Amanda Stavely, former Managing Director of Newcastle United Football Club. Everyone got a copy of a beautifully produced book showcasing the work of 100 women who had been nominated by their peers for their contribution to society. There were also some delicious cakes!
Jo also spent a thoughtful afternoon at Newcastle Cathedral hearing about the incredible work of Her Circle (formerly Women’s Reform CIC) who work with women experiencing complex motherhood. They had been working with a creative writer and a visual artist and the work on display was heartstoppingly powerful.
Jo rounded off her week at Tyneside Cinema for a Young Women’s Film Academy screening of two of their short films and a feature presentation of 90s trailblazing film ‘Bend it Like Beckham’.
