Saturday 8th March is International Women’s Day (IWD) – a day to celebrate the achievements of women, raise awareness of gender equality, and inspire action for a more inclusive world. Despite progress, gender inequality unfortunately persists in many areas of the world, which is why IWD is a vital platform for awareness, advocacy and celebration.
In the vein of celebration, we asked colleagues to share stories of women that have inspired them the most – whether a public figure, historical trailblazer or someone from their own lives. The response from everyone was incredible, and we’re delighted to share these wonderful, inspiring tributes with you below:
Sue Paxman - Rich’s late mum
My mum died when I was 17 and for many years lived with cancer. She was and is an inspiration to me in so many ways and primarily not because of her illness. Number 1 was her kindness, kindness to everyone she met, no matter what. She was so warm and kind-hearted which is an incredible quality, something we should all aspire to be.
Secondly, her determination and fight. She was so incredibly strong throughout her illness, living life to the full. An inspiration to anyone that met her. She was incredible.
Finally, every day I get to do a job I love, being able to make an impact on people’s lives and their families around the world, and my mum is the reason why we do what we do. Her loss and our loss is making a real difference to so many. I would have her back in a heartbeat but gives me comfort knowing she lives on in a way through so many other people’s personal stories.
Our majority female-led SLT (Alex, Anna, Claire, Emma, Karin, Liza, Louise)
I am incredibly proud of our strong majority female-led senior leadership team. They are a force to be reckoned with. Each of them brings unique strengths and values making our business what it is today. They all are empathetic and charismatic leaders who show great resilience as we collectively grow the company, overcoming the challenges we are faced with. I am incredibly fortunate to work with such an impressive group of people and grateful for them.
Sophia Loren - Italian Actress and Humanitarian
As one of the most celebrated actresses of all time, she became a symbol of grace, talent, and resilience. Sophia achieved countless accolades, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and many other prestigious recognitions, making her one of the most iconic stars in Hollywood. Yet, what stands out most about her is not just her beauty or acting skills, but her strength and the way she broke barriers for women in cinema.
Sophia Loren’s used her platform to speak about issues that mattered, such as gender equality and the importance of education. Her dedication to helping others, particularly women, in various humanitarian efforts has left a lasting imprint. I admire her for the way she balanced her demanding career with her commitment to family and social causes, showing that a woman can be both strong and nurturing.
The lessons I’ve learned from Sophia Loren are many. She taught me the importance of resilience and self-confidence in a world that often seeks to limit women. I’ve been inspired by her ability to rise above challenges and use her success to open doors for others. Through Sophia, I’ve learned that true beauty is a reflection of inner strength, and that kindness that will leave a lasting impact.
Beulah E. Dent – Leah’s Grandmother (better known to everyone as Bigmama)
The person I have chosen isn’t famous to anyone other than those that knew her and loved her. But, that was many. She is my mother’s mother, and I am her youngest grandchild. My grandfather (Bigdaddy) died when I was very little, so she was really the only grandparent I had in my life beyond my very young childhood.
She was kind, funny, loving, an amazing cook, (probably where I get the love of cooking from because my mother did not like to cook.) She was one of the oldest of 11 children and helped raise her younger siblings. She worked during WWII while so many of the young men were off serving our country. She later helped my parents with my older sister who was very ill as a child.
Everyone that met her loved her. She had a way about her that captured your heart. My friends would always say they wished she was their Bigmama!
She volunteered and was a member of a service organization that taught me the importance of volunteering your time, committing yourself to community service and helping others.
Cherished memories, gifts of the love of family, traditions, kindness, serving the community. I wish my children could have known her because she is still such an important and influential person in our family’s lives.
Pamela Strickland (Cook) – Sallie’s dance teacher and choreographer for The Huddersfield Light Opera Company
I attended the Morris/Strickland dance school from the age 3, and was initially taught by Joan Morris, Pamela’s mum, and then by Pamela (aka Miss Pam) until I was about 18. She took over the dance school from her Mum and now her daughter runs the school known as Strickland Cook Theatre School.
As a dance school, we joined forces with the Huddersfield Light Opera Company, and we were lucky enough to dance in their annual pantomime and their annual musical with Miss Pam choreographing both productions. A tradition that continues to this day.
Miss Pam has choreographed every pantomime the HLOC have performed since its inception in 1977, we are currently planning our 49th & 50th year of pantomimes. I find it truly inspiring that she has given her life to teaching dance and given people the opportunity to perform on stage and fulfil their dreams. To give up her time for going on for 50 consecutive years is an amazing achievement.
I hung up my dance shoes following our production of Shrek in 2022, so dancing has been a massive part of my life for which I am incredibly grateful for.
She inspired me to take on the role of General Manager at the Huddersfield Light Opera. This is an unpaid volunteer role that gives me an opportunity to give a little bit back to the amateur company that has given me lots of joy and memories over the last 50 years, and without Miss Pam this wouldn’t have happened.
Shirley Forster – Jack’s Grandma
My Grandma, Shirley, was a real inspiration. She had an extremely successful career whilst raising three children and supporting my Granddad in his equally successful career. I remember she had a bright gold sports car – and not many other Grandmas drove one of those!
She was one of the first female sales managers at a multinational company in the 1980s, and at a time when it was very much “a man’s world,” she showed that with determination, anybody could be successful.
She ran multiple marathons throughout her life (both before and after becoming a Grandma) and renovated a mill and its gardens, after having completed a degree in horticulture in her spare time. When she unexpectedly passed away in 2008 in her 80s, she was studying towards a degree in Sociology at the University of Hull. Meeting my Grandma for lunch on the campus where we were both studying was fairly surreal!
She was always extremely positive and allowed us as grandchildren to be ourselves whilst recognising our differences and supporting us in thriving individually. When the gold sports car was too much, she bought a Honda Civic, and promptly had it covered in flower stickers, because that’s what she wanted!
I imagine everybody is proud of their Grandma, but Grandma Shirley was very much one-of-a-kind.
Taylor Swift - Singer/Songwriter
Taylor Swift is an American singer-songwriter and one of the best-selling musicians of all time. She gained fame with her country music debut in 2006 and later transitioned into pop and alternative genres. Known for her storytelling and reinvention, Swift has won 12 Grammy Awards, including four Album of the Year wins which is the most by any artist. She has also broken numerous records, including being the first artist to claim all top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously. Her Eras Tour became the highest-grossing tour of all time.
Taylor is inspiring because of her resilience in the face of adversity. Despite relentless media scrutiny and criticism from others, she stayed true to herself and continued creating music. Taylor Swift has a profound impact on her fans, influencing them through her music, advocacy, and personal connection.
She encourages fans to vote, stand up for their rights, and support causes like LGBTQ+ rights, mental health awareness, and education. Her openness about struggles, including body image and anxiety, helps fans feel less alone. Taylor interacts with fans through surprise meet-ups, social media replies, and generous acts, like paying off student loans or sending personalized gifts.
Taylor Swift’s impact on me has been truly empowering. She has taught me to embrace my true self and not be afraid to express my emotions. Through her example, I’ve learned that even in the face of adversity, I can hold my head high and rise above with grace and strength.
Margaret – Jennie’s Friend
Margaret and I got to be good friends thanks to our sons. I had met her in the past, but when she moved back to Chicago from New York, we lived on the same street. Our boys are about 6 months apart in age and we were both lucky enough to be stay at home moms, so we spent many days together while the kids played.
Margaret helped me to find the courage to join a gym and we ran our first 5k together. she is not afraid to speak her mind. While she inspired me with her many talents such as being a great cook, go-go dancing, organizing GNO’s (girl’s nights out) and being just an overall great person, what really strikes me about Margaret is her ability to act to make improvements in our community.
The Chicago Park district is an important part of life in the city for many families. Working parents can enroll their kids in summer camps, after school programs and all kinds of sports teams. One of our local parks had a playground that needed new equipment. This park became a labor of love for Margaret. She started doing creative fundraising projects, little things like snack sales at games where the money collected went back to the park all the way up to finding events that the park could hold where proceeds would go to the park. After a while, Chase Park had a brand-new safe playground for everyone to enjoy, but she did not stop there. Her next labor of love involves our local food pantry, The Common Pantry. Located in a neighborhood church, this pantry served approximately 1034 households per month before increasing thanks to Margaret, where she became the executive director. She devised creative ways to secure community involvement, helping feed those in need. Local shops will have a day where a percentage of sales is given to the pantry with raffles, parties, etc. The pantry was even able to move to its own premises, to fit supplies and volunteers, who help sort donations, pack food and feed locals. She was recently honored with a community leader award.
Margaret does not do the work she does in order to earn awards. She feels compelled to make the place we live better for everyone because that is what she feels in her heart. I am honored to call her a friend.
You can learn more about the Common Pantry at www.commonpantry.org.
A huge thank you to those who shared their inspirational women with us. These fantastic stories remind us that inspiration is all around us, both in the achievements of global icons and the everyday feats of the women in our lives!
Happy International Women’s Day!
